A Slice of Life
by nottletottles
Summary: In a world where aliens and mutants alike are more widely accepted on planet Earth, how would relationships between humans and these new races and species develop? Centered around a romantic relationship, other relationships bloom among the complexities of cultures and simply even size differences. Turtles present, mostly centered on OCs. M Rating for language and suggestive themes
1. How We Met

Based on a world similar to that of 2105, but closer to our time. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

On April 28th, during an annual bar crawl through downtown Manhattan, Mira stepped into her 4th bar, amazed by the size of it. As a human of ordinary height, walking into a bar built for much larger species was not only intimidating, but also overwhelming. Thankfully for her, she was already drunk.

Towering over the few humans drunk enough to enter the bar were several alien and mutant species at least 8ft tall. The tabletops reached their shoulders while sitting in a chair required hopping onto a seat as high as their hips. Sitting at the bar that wrapped around in a full square required stepping onto a few of the leg supports, and wasn't the greatest idea for two inebriated friends. But who thinks that clearly after 8 drinks?

Barely paying any attention to the looks the nearby Triceritons, Ghonitians, and various mutants were giving the smaller humans, Mira and Ashley sat together in the large barstool between two parties. The bartender, a large four-armed alien with a wide toothless grin found their presence amusing.

Of course, there was little risk for the humans in this bar with its high credibility and rating. The bartender simply enjoyed seeing humans that would seem easily intimidated by the bar moseying in for a few drinks. This time of year they spotted more of those fearless human-types.

"What're ya havin?" he asked with a smirk as he prepared two drinks at once.

Ashley examined the drink selection behind the bar as Mira looked at the dark purple drink in the hands of the Triceriton next to her. "I'll have one of those," she said with a cheeky grin.

Ashley, the bartender, and the Triceriton in question all looked at the drink then back at her.

"Uh, I don't think you wanna do that," the Triceriton said with a chuckle. "I've never met a single human who could drink more than a sip of this."

"Well what is it?" Mira asked curiously.

"It's from my homeworld, we call it Eie. It'll make yer face go funny," he offered it to her with a knowing grin. "Wanna try?"

Ashley gave him a suspicious look and waited to stop her friend from accepting a stranger's drink. "Nah," she said, turning back to the bartender. "I want one of those fuckers."

The Triceriton and bartender shared a concerned look as one of his arms reached for a glass jug filled with the same purple liquid. He expertly poured a shot's worth into a whiskey glass and placed it in front of her.

Ashley watched as her friend grabbed the glass as an underdog would and brought it up to her lips.

"I'd down it in one go if I was you," the bartender suggested as the Triceriton took a big sip of his own. With a determined look on her face, Mira took the shot in one go.

Everyone in the area who heard her order watched as the pure sourness of the drink contorted her face against her will. The Triceriton chuckled as he put the glass down and gave a gentle pat to her back. "You'll feel it soon. Don't worry."

The glass hit the bar with not a drop left and Mira shook off the potency of the liquid as it hit her stomach. Ashley looked at her with concern while the bartender placed a glass of water in front of her. "You alright?" she asked with concern.

"I'm great," Mira replied with a smile. "Give me another one!"

After some concern from the bartender and half a glass of water down, Mira was given another shot right as the drink started taking its effect on her. She now had most of the creatures around her watching curiously as she prepared to down it again, but not before offering her friend a sip.

Ashley declined instantly, opting instead for a sweeter cocktail she was familiar with.

The second shot of Eie down with the same contorted expression as before, and her Triceriton neighbor was thoroughly impressed.

"Do you actually like it?" he asked while she drank more water.

"It's not that bad," she said with a shook of her head. "Just sour."

"You feelin it yet?" he asked again, sounding even more amused.

"Hm," she replied before taking a drink of her water. "Maybe."

He finished his drink and just shook his head. "I've never seen anyone take more than a sip of Eie, but I think humanity just met it's match. What's your name?"

With a smile she replied, "Mira."

"I'm Baxium, nice to meet ya," he said with a nod while holding his hand out.

She took it with an amused smile, not failing to notice how his giant orange hand swallowed her much smaller one effortlessly.

Once it was time for the crawl to move on, Mira nearly fell out of the chair she sat in and would have injured herself if not for the quick reflexes of her new friend Bax. Blushing when she was forced to realize how effortlessly his giant self was able to lower her to the ground once she lost her footing, she left the bar with his phone number should she want to try anymore otherworldly drinks. And that was how Mira and Baxium met.

Only a month would pass before they met again, and soon their relationship began to bloom.

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	2. First Date, Part 1

First dates are always awkward, especially if your date is vastly different from you. But what if you find some common ground? Will it go well or leave a bad taste in your mouth?

* * *

Baxium was never good at the whole 'dating' thing, much to his family's disappointment. The last few dates he had been on ended with him being stood up, laughed at, and gently let down. Baxium knew deep down that his personality didn't match with the type of girls his family wanted him to be with. Despite being a certified member of the Triceriton army back on homeland, his gentle personality clashed heavily with the way everyone else saw him.

Everyone except Mira. Baxium wondered if Mira knew him as more gentle and down-to-earth before knowing him as a soldier, there would be a higher chance for something to work out between them. So far he knew that she was funny, loved to party, and could hold her liquor way better than he expected. He was hoping to find out more tonight.

Mira could practically hear her heart racing in her chest from the nerves she felt while waiting for 8 o'clock to roll around. Ashley calmly prevented her from drinking a second glass of wine.

"Listen, I'm about to leave and if I don't see you there I'm going to be pissed that I showed up when you didn't. You understand me?"

Mira sighed, letting her shoulders slumped while her body continued to pump nervous adrenaline through her system. "Yeah... Ugh this is gonna be a _disaster_."

"Hey, you don't know that! Sure, he's a Triceriton who asked you out after a month of talking and knowing each other through snapchat... which he used maybe three times since you added him... BUT, he seems nice and I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think it is." Ashley rubbed her back as she tried to assure her, though it didn't work quite as well as she was hoping.

She pulled Mira into a hug then gave her another look over before stepping back and grabbing her keys. "You look great. Don't drink anything else before he gets here alright? Text me if you have ANY issues and I'll see you there- _in secret_ ," she added with a whisper.

"Okay," Mira said with a sigh. "See ya."

As her friend locked the door behind her, Mira went back to her room to make a final check on her appearance. All of the people in the pictures she saw of Bax were as massive as he was, and that fact made her very nervous about his motives for their date. For all she knew she was the shortest person he had ever met and he was just curious about what it'd be like hanging out with her.

 _I mean, interspecies relationships aren't that uncommon, but they aren't known to last very long. Plus if he had any jealous exes I don't think I'd stand a chance... I really hope he's not some weirdo..._

Feeling sufficiently nauseous from her racing thoughts, she figured there wasn't much else she could do to her appearance without ruining it all. Just as she was ready to leave the mirror, her phone rang.

 _Oh no_ , she thought, _it's him._

Baxium stood outside the apartment building, phone in hand as he realized just how small humans really are. He leaned forward a little to get a closer look at the front door to the building and realized it'd be a tight and painful squeeze if he ever tried going inside.

As he waited outside, ignoring the smaller creatures moving around him, he couldn't help the small smile that grew on his face when he thought about all the possibilities for the night ahead. He was going out with a human he found impressive, smart, funny, and pretty, and he felt a warmth inside he hadn't felt for a while. He knew it had to be his infatuation coupled with the hope that this date would go differently.

...Provided that she was even remotely interested in him and not just pitying him or- worse yet- scared of saying no to him.

 _Aw man_ , he thought as his smile faded. _I really hope she isn't just scared of me... What was I thinking asking out a human? It's not like anyone's even expectin anything out of this. What if this was a mistake?_

Baxium's own intrusive, self-deprecating thoughts filled him with nervousness as Mira stepped out of the door and onto the sidewalk in front of him. Baxium couldn't stop himself from commenting on how nice she looked- just like when he first met her.

 _Well... No turning back now,_ they thought, both hopeful and nervous beyond reason.

At the restaurant, Ashley sat at a table on the second floor waiting to see Mira or to get a text from her to let her know what was going on. The first floor was filled with large species enjoying various meals and conversations while the second floor was very similar, just on a smaller scale.

Ashley examined the first floor from the indoor balcony and spotted a couple whose size would have matched the one she was waiting on, if they hadn't been a completely different species. The couple was accomodated for at a large table with a reasonable seat for the smaller one, and the two looked as happy as could be.

She couldn't help but give a little smile before deciding to text Mira for an update.

Mira hit send on her reply right before they entered the restaurant. She knew Ashley was on the second floor, but figured with Baxium's size they'd be stuck on the ground floor. As they were led to a table fit for them both, Ashley let Mira know that she could see her from where she was, and to just text her if she needed anything.

Now the only nerves Mira had were for any hope of a decent and engaging conversation with as few awkward silences as possible.

With their food orders in and non-alcoholic beverages on the table, the first awkward silence began. Baxium gave her a smile, which she nervously returned, and then let out a sigh. "Hey, whataya say we get a couple Eie out here? This place's isn't as good but it's not bad. Plus, it'll help with the nerves."

Before Mira had time to respond, Baxium let out a shy chuckle. "Uh, sorry, I'm not so great at this stuff. Eie really does help."

Though she couldn't say it, Mira was eternally grateful her date needed some alcohol in the same kinda way she did. And, since he offered, she was fine with trying some more Triceriton Eie- confident with some heartburn relief in her bag. Ashley may not be able to prepare _herself_ for anything, but she spared no brain power when thinking of all the things that could go wrong for her friend.

With a glass of Eie down, Mira finally felt her nerves calming, as did Baxium.

"That really hits the spot, huh?" he asked with a grin. "I'm still impressed you can drink it like that."

"How is it made?" she asked, trying to avoid having to pronounce 'Eie' as much as possible.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I know it gets its flavor from a mineral we grow on Homeworld. It's a traditional drink for us you know?"

"Is it kind of like beer or wine for humans?" she asked curiously.

"I guess so," he started, thinking for a moment. "Do you drink beer and wine with yer family and friends? Eie's a big thing for gatherings and celebrations."

Mira nodded, feeling hopeful that there was some commonality between their cultures. "Yeah that sounds just like wine for my family. Beer too, but it's mostly wine in my case."

Baxium nodded. "Yeah, that's exactly it. I've tried some beers before but they all taste too bland for my liking."

"Well, with a drink like this being the cultural equivalent to beer I can see why."

Baxium laughed more than she would have expected at her comment, and she felt her cheeks flush.

From where Ashley sat, it was clear that the two were doing well for the time being. She assessed that Baxium was not threatening in any purposeful way, and Mira didn't seem like she wanted to escape in the immediate future. So, Ashley took it upon herself to order a little food for the show.

"You know, I haven't gone out with many humans so I hope I'm not coming off too intimidating or anything. I just wanted to get to know you better in person instead of just texting and stuff."

With another round of Eie on the table for Bax, and a glass of white wine for Mira, the two continued their discussions over a hot appetizer. "I mean I was really surprised when you asked me out," Mira said, the eie and wine making her more honest and talkative that she normally would have been. "But I think I also want to get to know you better."

"Really? I wasn't sure if you'd be into me or if you were just scared of me," he replied with a nervous laugh.

"Nah," she replied with a shake of her head. "I mean you are a very large Triceriton, but you've been nothing but nice since I met you."

Baxium gave a smile big enough to show some of his teeth as his shoulders noticeably relaxed. "I'm glad you think so."

Mira felt herself begin to blush again as she thought about how cute his concern for her impression of him was. He was probably big enough to tip her car over without breaking a sweat, yet he was nervous about what _she_ thought of _him_.

 _Oh no,_ she thought as she watched him drink and her heart thumped in her chest.

Across from her, Baxium downed more than he intended as his own body began to heat up and his thoughts raced about what she thought of him and of how nice she looked.

 _Oh no,_ he thought as he watched her delicately place her drink on the table after drinking from it.

Above, Ashley smugly ate from her plate of fries as she watched the two of them laugh and blush. It was a good night.

* * *

Let me know how I'm doing! I'm trying to expand the world some without interrupting the flow of the story. Give me tips if you'd like.


	3. First Date, Part 2

After getting through the date itself, will everything be ruined on the return trip home?

* * *

Ashley followed a few feet behind her roommate and her date. She was sweating as she fought to catch up to them after being held up at the restaurant by someone who thought she looked lonely. The anger she felt from that situation immediately melted away when she saw Baxium and Mira holding hands while they walked toward the apartment.

As the unlikely couple walked down the street, they received several looks from passerby that ranged from confused to disgusted, and the air quickly became uncomfortable. Mira slowly pulled her hand out of his own, and though he understood why, Baxium still felt saddened by it. He knew that being with her was way out of the norm, and he distinctly made a mental note not to mention this to his own family for the same reason they received such looks.

As they neared her apartment, he suddenly recalled something that would hopefully lighten the mood. Mira seemed like a romantic so far at least, so hopefully it wouldn't hurt.

"Oh, I saw something on my way to pick you up," Baxium said as he stopped at a crosswalk they didn't need to take to get home. "Would you mind stopping at a store with me? It's on the other side over there."

Mira looked down the street as he pointed to a flower shop just about to close. "Wh-"

"Oh no, they're about to close, let's go!" he said as he pulled her along with him. He was careful not to move too quickly or squeeze too hard, but Mira still felt as though she was being dragged there. She was only hopeful Ashley could stay close enough to see whatever was going on.

 _Scratch that. I hope she can't_ , Mira thought as soon as Baxium handed the florist money for the flower he now held in his massive hand. They still received strange looks from people as they crossed the street and she tried not to seem too panicked by the situation so he wouldn't get into any trouble. Though, admittedly, it was difficult to seem anything shy of flustered and flattered by his gesture.

"What's this for?" she asked as she shyly took the yellow daffodil from him.

"Uh, well," he started, suddenly becoming very nervous and aware of everyone around them. "It's for you. You know, for our date."

Mira laughed a bit as she put the flower behind her ear. "Usually you're supposed to give flowers _before_ you go on the date," she said with a smile. "But thank you anyway, it's beautiful."

Baxium smiled through his nervousness as he nudged her hand with a finger and walked with her back to her apartment. "Sorry I pulled you over there... Truth be told I did _want_ to get you something before the date, but... I got nervous," he admitted, trying to avoid every stare from the few folks wandering the streets.

His honesty maintained the blush that had colored her cheeks for most of the night. "Why are you so nervous?" she asked as she recalled the few times before that he had mentioned it.

"Like I said, I've never gone out with a human before. Aside from all the looks we've been gettin, the girls I've dated before don't really expect romantic stuff from me."

"Really? What do they expect then?"

Baxium looked up in thought as they waited for their crossing signal. "Traditionally I am supposed to give a precious item to my date. Something like jewelry or a decorative stone or something. Typically flora isn't the go-to if you know what I mean."

"Are there not many flowers on Homeworld?" she asked curiously, touching the daffodil lightly as they walked to ensure its safety.

"Not particularly. We have displays of plants from a few planets as well as some thought to be from our original planet before The Death, but it's more for study than aesthetics," he explained. "I do enjoy looking at them, myself though. Especially yellow ones. I think when they're in such abundance giving them as a gift is a wonderful gesture."

The contagious smile he was unable to hide brought one to Mira's face as well. "I didn't know you were the sensitive type," she joked, hoping to hide her blush from him.

"No one expects it. I hope it's a pleasant surprise for you at least... It felt nice to share that with you."

Once again caught off guard by his honesty and sensitive nature, Mira had to place a hand to her cheek as she looked away in order to calm the blood rush to her head. She never imagined she'd be lucky enough to find a Big Boy (TM) who was also so sweet and able to hold a conversation with her.

"I do love flowers," she said softly.

"What's your favorite kind?" he asked as they approached her doorstep.

"It's a total cliche, but I love roses. And purple snapdragons." Baxium made a mental note of her preferences as she climbed the steps, finally able to be eye-to-eye with him. He gave her a sheepish smile, glancing quickly to make sure no one was watching, and gently took her hand.

"I hope you'll want to go out with me again, but don't feel pressured to say yes if you don't want to."

Mira smiled up at him, feeling an urge to kiss his cheek but calculating the distance was a bit too awkward to try out. Instead, she opted to squeeze what bit of his hand she could as her cheeks remained rosy and warm. "I'd like that."

He lifted her small hand up to his face and placed the back of it against his cheek. "Then it's a date. Goodnight Mira."

"Goodnight, Baxi," she said with a smile, casually pulling her hand away to enter the apartment.

Baxium waited until she was inside to leave, feeling a warmth inside of him he hadn't felt for a while. He took another glance back at the apartment building and spent the rest of his walk home pondering any semblance of a future with a human woman.

Ashley waited inside the door of their apartment, eager to hear the juicy details of Mira's night while her friend climbed the stairs. Mira held the daffodil in her hand as her mind drifted away. She couldn't believe what her night had just been.

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Please let me know how I'm doing! Don't forget to favorite and follow if you're enjoying it so far!


	4. A New Neighbor

Still working on expanding the world here. I'm mostly improvising, but some things are thought through. For those of you strictly opposed to it, please don't worry as I don't intend to have any love triangles here. However, stories do tend to write themselves at times so I make no promises!

Enjoy!

* * *

The one day of the week where the sun was supposed to be out, Mira and Ashley were going out for a walk when they noticed a moving van pulling into their street. They continued on their way to enjoy a walk and get some boba tea on their route.

They lived in a neighborhood in Brooklyn, east of the Brooklyn Bridge. It was a simple street with apartments of various sizes and heights as they were on the cusp of the city where large and small species try to coexist.

The roads, vehicles, and public transportation were all updated to suit the various races, and construction was still ongoing to update streets and living spaces to Earth's new diverse population. As new races sought to make peace with Earth and join the intergalactic alliance brought forth by the Utroms, new technology brought about solutions that would be easily implimented if not for the most stubborn of humans in New York.

"I can't believe how crowded it's gotten," Ashley huffed after pushing her way out of a crowd, boba in hand. "I didn't think they could fit anymore Alliance-ers in these bouroughs."

Mira simply shrugged as they continued past some new food vendors on the street. "I mean it makes sense with all the new apartments they're building around here."

"Did you hear they're planning on making atmospheric zones for outerspace refugees and emergency placements? Pretty soon _we'll_ have to get those apparatus devices or whatever they're called," Ashley said as they stood at a crosswalk.

Mira thought for a moment as she spied one of the apparatuses her friend was talking about on a stranger across the way. They were short and had purple skin with a strange texture she hadn't seen before.

"Do you ever wonder what it's like living on another planet?" Mira asked as they crossed at the light.

"I guess they have to wear apparatuses too," Ashley said thoughtfully. "I don't know how anyone gets off the planet at all, though. I'd die if I ever stepped foot into a live rocket or spacecraft."

"Not the flying type, huh?" Mira asked with a grin.

Ashley took a sip of her tea as they entered their neighborhood again. "Nah, I like living."

Ahead, coming out of the very apartment they lived in, was a turtle-like person who appeared vaguely familiar to Mira. Of course, she couldn't completely forget someone like that. She was hoping he wouldn't notice her as they approached, and planned on just going in without a word, but of course it didn't work out that way.

Ashley, typically introverted and not one for socializing, had a knack for getting the urge to speak to someone when it was the least convenient for Mira. Raphael had looked at them right when Ashley looked at him, and she just had to greet their new neighbor to the building.

Mira stayed silent, hoping her name wouldn't come up, and made it clear to her friend through her body language that she wanted to leave.

"Yeah, I'm on the 4th floor. It's nice to meet you," he said, before going into the truck parked outside to grab another item.

"Don't let him fool you, ladies, he's as dumb as he looks," another turtle said as he exited the building.

Raph hit him upside the head as he walked by with another box, and Ashley and Mira followed him inside. "Ignore Mikey, he's only got one mode: annoying."

He seemed to pay them no mind as he continued up to the fourth floor. Mikey was suddenly behind them, carrying a single lamp. "It's nice to know there's at least a few good-looking people around here to balance out your ugly," he joked as he walked behind Mira and Ashley.

The girls stayed quiet as they arrived at the 3rd floor. "Well we'll see ya around," Ashley said with a wave before they started off.

"See ya!" Mikey replied before heading back up the stairs.

"You were awful quiet," Ashley said once they were in their apartment again.

"I know that guy," Mira said, sounding almost upset. "We used to go to school together."

"Wait, you went to school with him? Which one?" Ashley sat down to hear the story.

It was apparent Mira didn't want to share. "Well, you remember all those times I told you I'd get into fights at school? Most of those fights were with _him_. Raphael. He's such a jerk. At least he didn't recognize me I guess."

"Well he seemed a little grumpy but I think it's cuz Mikey was talkin shit. I mean you remember when we moved in here and the stress got to me pretty easily right? It's possible he's not a jerk anymore, maybe he'll recognize you once he's settled in."

Mira scoffed as she drank her tea and opened her computer. "I hope not."

* * *

How am I doing so far? Let me know please, and tell me what you wanna see more of! I promise I'll get back to non-human characters soon. ;D


	5. An Absolute Rager

Here we go, we just needed a good party to get this fic goin! I hope. Please tell me I require validation for my efforts.

* * *

The air in the city had become consistently warm, and the predictable rainy days had passed as June came around. It was about 4pm on a Friday when Ashley and Mira got home from their jobs and started to get ready for that night. Only a few days earlier Baxium had invited them both out to a party at his friend's place and they were anxious to go.

"At least we're going together," Ashley said with a sigh. "If it's too much then we can just leave."

"Can we though?" Mira asked, thinking about how Baxium might feel if she were to just leave in the middle of the party he invited her to.

"Well that depends, are you planning on not coming home tonight?" Ashley asked with a mischevious grin.

Mira rolled her eyes as her cheeks grew warm. "Shut up."

Ashley finished her makeup and got off of Mira's bed to find her outfit. "I was just joking, but you know I'll support you either way."

"I mean it _is_ in Queens. We might be spending the night whether we like it or not." Mira muttered, beginning to doubt if they should even go.

/

In the Queens borough of the city, Baxium was carrying another keg into his friend's apartment. "I'll tell ya Traximus, if Devy throws as big a party as they did for Grimstone this is gonna be a _rager_."

"What's a rager?" Traximus questioned as he brought up several bags of snacks.

"Like the kinda party we threw when you took over after showin Zanramon the door."

"Oh," Traximus said before grinning. "I guess you could describe that as a rager. But I really didn't want anything like that for this. It's not like I'm leaving forever," he continued while they took the elevator up to the top floor.

"Well you know Devy. They like to be flashy."

Inside Traximus' apartment, their friend Devy was coordinating the decorations as a dj was already setting up against a wall in the cleared out living space. Traximus dropped his arms to his sides, nearly letting go of the snacks, as he took in everything around him.

There were sparkling, reflective decorations of various sizes draping from the ceiling, with a far wall bearing the dangling words " _Good Luck Traxi!_ " Devy, a size-shifting alien with a shell along the entire dorsal part of their body, was busy setting up a long table with beverages and snacks.

"I warned you," Baxium said as he gave a firm pat to Traximus' back.

Traximus shook his head as he carried the snacks back to the table. "This was not what I wanted at all."

"Aw, don't be like that!" Devy said with a grin as they helped unpack the snacks. "You're gonna have a great night with all the people in the city you love, and some people you don't know yet."

"Devy, when I agreed to a going-away party I was expecting something... not like this." Traximus eyed the dj as they began hooking up their equipment to the speaker system.

Devy shook their head as they poured out the snacks into bowls and placed extra bags under the tables. "Traximus, Traximus, Traximus... when you got a place like this, you have to throw a grand party whenever you can!"

Traximus couldn't help but feel a little bad as he watched Devy set up in such an excited way.

"I can see you have some reservations about this still," Devy started, putting an arm around Traximus' arms as they couldn't quite reach his shoulders. "But that's why I planned this a few days before your actual departure. No need to stress about cleaning right away or being inebriated on the flight back to Homeworld!"

"I... appreciate your thoughtfulness, Devy. I'm going to get ready now, I'll leave the rest up to you." Traximus left, still feeling conflicted about the large party being thrown for him, and journeyed down the hall to his room. "I may need to lock some of these doors if I can," he muttered to himself.

"Being his assistant can be so boring I can hardly imagine what it's like to be _him_ ," Devy muttered to Baxium as they continued running around to get set up.

"I should get going too," Baxium said. "Good luck with everything Devy!"

"Yeah, it's always like that for me," Devy mumbled with a smile.

/

As the sun set, Raph and Mikey made their way to the trains just as Baxium was coming from the trains. Eventually, their paths crossed and Raph stopped him on the sidewalk. "What're you doin in Brooklyn Bax? Thought you'd be goin to Traximus' party."

Embarrassed, Bax just smiled and tried to avoid eye contact. "Oh, I am. I'll see you guys there."

The brothers gave him a weird look before shrugging and continuing to the trains.

"Why's Traximus going back to Homeworld again?" Mikey asked.

"The council has some kinda meeting he has to be there for every now and then. It's not like he's even gonna be gone a long time."

They waited for the trains on the crouded platform, filled with cautious humans, distrusting alliancers, and the rare paranoid mutant. No matter where in the city he went, he still felt out of place. It frustrated him to think that whether he was recognized and "accepted" or not, he still never felt like he belonged anywhere.

"I think it's kinda cool he's throwing a party though," Mikey said out of the blue, interrupting his brother's thoughts. "I wonder who's gonna be there!"

Raph couldn't help but give a half-smile at his brother's optimism. With Mikey around, maybe the night wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

Do you prefer more chapters that are a bit shorter, or do you prefer longer chapters encompassing everything? I sort of like this format but tell me what you think!


	6. A Tradition for Anyone

Here's my longest chapter yet! I'm excited to continue this, please please _please_ let me know what you think! As Mira and Ashley enter the party thrown for a Triceraton legend, what new things will they learn about Baxium's culture?

* * *

When Raph and Mikey walked into Traximus' apartment, the music was already blasting while a diverse group of party-goers mingled in the slowly filling living room. The overhead lights were dimmed while brightly colored moving lights flashed along the otherwise yellow walls.

"Woah," Mikey said as he took in the scene before him, eager to be apart of it. "I wasn't expecting something like _this_!"

Raph gave an impressed look over as well as they stepped inside to find Traximus. "Me either, actually. No way Traximus did all this."

In a group near the bar, Traximus was socializing with several creatures the brothers didn't recognize. Devy welcomed the two with open arms and a wider smile.

"Welcome to Traximus' going away party!" they greeted, guiding the two inside. "He's a bit busy right now, but I'm sure he'll say hi when he's done. We've got food, drinks, and plenty of dancing and mingling so enjoy yourselves tonight!"

Raph gave them a questioning look as he watched Traximus tell some kind of story to the group. "Isn't Traximus just going for a meeting? He's comin back right?"

"Oh, yes. But ever since he was stationed here he's barely had anyone over here if it wasn't for politics or some other matter. He was hesitant, but I know he'll enjoy himself after a few drinks!" Devy eyed some more guests that came in and gestured to the food tables. "Please, eat, drink, and party! I've got some more hosting to do."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Mikey started, rubbing his hands together as he led Raph to the table. "Who was that, anyway?"

"Devy," Raph told him, grabbing a cup. "They're Traximus' assistant. I don't know what they are but I think you'd probably get along with them."

"They seem pretty fun," Mikey said as he piled food onto his plate. "Unlike most of the other people here, there's not even anyone dancing."

As Mikey started to shovel food into his mouth, Raph eyed Traximus as his conversation wound down. "I'm gonna go talk to Traximus."

Mikey looked around at the countless strangers and realized he wasn't quite ready to mingle with so many strangers he knew nothing about and followed Raph. As a couple left the area, Raph and Mikey filled their space.

"Raphael, Michelangelo," Traximus greeted with a grin. "It's so good to see you."

"Yeah, with all the business you've been up to I didn't think I'd ever get to see you!" Mikey said. "Who knew you knew how to party!" Mikey nudged him playfully.

Traximus laughed in response, slapping the back of his shell. "You can give all credit to Devy. Though I _do_ know how to party, have no doubt."

"I can't wait to see _that_ ," Raph chimed in, arms crossed and smirking.

Traximus returned the smirk and crossed his arms as well. "Well how about you, Raphael? Surely you didn't just come here for pleasantries?"

"Nah, I heard there'd be free food and drinks, too."

Traximus laughed and moved behind the bar to grab a drink. "Well then, by all means! Eat and drink," he encouraged, grabbing the good beers from behind the bar.

"Woah," Mikey started, taking the drink from him. "Any chance _I_ can be an ambassador with a sweet set up like this?"

"Yeah, fat chance Mikey," Raph commented with a roll of his eyes as he took a swig from his beer.

/

The subway car still was not quite big enough for Baxium, though he did manage to squeeze in and take up an entire door space. It took moving to a few different cars before anyone said anything about him taking up too much space. Even with Mira and Ashley around, it was difficult to avoid some hurtful language thrown his way.

"I don't get why anyone even bothers being so shitty," Ashley started. "I wonder how long before they talk shit to the wrong Triceriton."

Baxium played it off as the train moved underground. "I'm used to it by now. People like you two make up for it though. Besides, we're goin to a party where there's not gonna be any of those kinds of people."

Baxium placed his hands on their shoulders with a grin they couldn't help but return. "I'm drinking as soon as I get there," Mira informed him.

Ashley nodded in agreement. "At least you'll actually _know_ some of the people who'll be there."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Mira started. "But you could have stayed home if you wanted."

"I wanted to invite you so you wouldn't be stuck inside all by yourself," Baxium added. "I'm sure you'll have fun though!"

Ashley tried to psych herself up, not wanting to be a burden on her friend's good time. "I'll just also get drunk and dance or something."

"That's the spirit!" Mira encouraged.

Their trek into Queens was longer than they would have been comfortable with, but Baxium was able to get closer to Mira while Ashley tried not to stare. Many folks on the train also tried not to stare, some less successful than others.

After seeing Baxium take the insults hurled at him without any fighting back, Mira began to question if he was really someone she wanted to be with. While some might find his tolerance admirable, Mira wasn't sure tolerating that kind of hate was such a good thing.

Not that she necessarily had anything against soft, sensitive boys, but they weren't her type romantically. Still, he was quite the handsome Triceriton.

By the time the trio had arrived at Traximus' apartment, the dimmed lights had already been turned off, the music was thumping loud enough to hear from the elevator, and some of the partygoers were even dancing.

Being the last to arrive, Devy was no longer around to greet them, but Traximus noticed as soon as his old friend walked in.

"Baxium! Welcome!" Traximus greeted with open arms from the edge of the crowd. "I thought you'd never make it!"

Baxium grabbed his outstretched hand as they did an old handshake. Though Traximus was clearly drunk, he managed to pull it off without error. "Of course I wouldn't miss this! I just had to bring some special guests," he said as he introduced him to Mira and Ashley.

"Come in and enjoy the party with everyone else!" Traximus led the way back into the crowd as Baxium placed his hand around Mira's shoulder and the three followed him in.

Around the dance floor were aliens and mutants of various identities ranging from tall and purple with big hair, to small(er) and yellow with little hair. Some had several long armswhile others had fewer stubby arms, and every now and then some kind of tail would wave about behind someone. It was quite possibly the most diverse crowd in the smallest space that Ashley or Mira had ever seen. Every single body in the apartment was moving to the music, even if they were simply tapping their foot with a plate of food in the corner, and there wasn't a single person who looked like they didn't want to be there. Ashley just hoped she wouldn't be the first one to change that.

Traximus stood up next to the dj, towering above everyone as he took the mic and the music quieted. "I hope you are all having a great time!" His words were met with cheers from the crowd. Ashley snuck away from Baxium and Mira to grab some food so she could plant herself against a wall, but Bax and Mira remained near the bar where Traximus had left them.

"Now that all the guests I expected are here, I need us to clear a space for one of my personal favorite Triceraton traditions," he directed with a devilish smirk.

"Aw man," Baxium groaned before looking behind the bar.

"What is it?" Mira asked curiously. She watched as he pulled out a jug of eie and a tall glass from behind the counter.

"Oh nothing," he started with a smile. "I just need one of these before he calls me out for bein late."

Still confused, Mira watched him down a very full 8oz glass of eie as if it were nothing more than an easy shot while Traximus continued his announcement.

"Baxium! You know the rules. The last to show faces off with the host. So let's go!" Traximus returned the mic to the dj as he hopped off the set up. The crowd had spread out and without the pressure of dancing, Ashley returned to her friend just as Baxium was leaving.

"What's going on?" Ashley asked.

"I have no idea," Mira replied. "When did you get food?"

"Just now," she said as she continued eating and gestured to the food table.

"They're about to fight," a familiar voice said from behind them. When they turned to see who it belonged to, they saw Raphael sitting in a stool at the bar.

"What are you doing here?" Mira asked curiously. She hadn't seen him on the way and he had just moved in above them, hadn't he?

"I could ask you the same thing. I'm a friend of Traximus," he said as he reached behind the counter to grab himself a drink. "What're you doin here all the way from Brooklyn?"

"We were invited by a mutual friend," Ashley said. "Why are they fighting?"

Just as she asked, the crowd started to cheer. When they turned to look at the spectacle, Traximus and Baxium were locked together, hands pushing against one anothers' shoulders and their horns tapping together. As close together as they were, it was clear how small Baxium was for a Triceraton. Still, he held his own as he pushed back against Traximus and forced the crowd to give them more space.

"I forget what it's called, but they do this at almost any party if there's enough of 'em," Raph contiued after finding a drink that suited him.

"That's interesting," Ashley commented as she sat down on the stool next to him. Mira remained standing as she watched Baxium get pushed onto the ground and slide closer to them.

"First one to get pinned down loses," Raph said just as Baxium moved out of the way of Traximus' charge.

Ashley nudged Mira as the crowd began cheering for Traximus. "Well who are you cheering for?"

Once Mira started cheering for Baxium, Ashley did as well. The apartment was filled with the cheers from the crowd. Ashley and Mira were so busy watching the fight that they didn't even notice Mikey moving toward them. As he maneuvered through the crowd, Raph stared at Mira. He knew that he recognized her from somewhere, but just couldn't figure out where.

"Hey! What're you ladies doin here?" Mikey greeted drunkenly.

Mira gave him a glance but as Baxium pushed Traximus against a wall she became much more enamored with the fight. Ashley, greeted him with a smile and a wave before turning back to the fight as well. "We gotta see who wins," she told him.

Raph continued to watch Mira as the memory cogs in his brain went to work, and Mikey took the liberty of cozying up between them. "Yeah, these Triceraton parties, am I right?"

Just as Traximus pinned Baxium to the ground, Raphael suddenly remembered. The brief amount of time he spent in a school when the world was starting to get used to the idea of mutants and other non-humans living in harmony- what a joke it was. But then, here he was in a respectable penthouse partying it up with who knows how many different races.

The world was different when he first met Mira, that's for sure.

Raphael took a long drink from his beer in an effort to prevent the past from staying too long. Times had changed, just like Mira. Although...

As he watched Traximus and Baxium shake hands, and as Baxium returned back to the bar, trying not to hang his head too low.

"I always think I have a chance against Traximus," he laughed as he put a hand around the small of Mira's back. "He always teaches me the same thing- that I don't."

Mira patted his arm assuredly as Mikey joined in. "Hey, you put up a good fight! It's not easy fighting any of you Triceritons, much less _Traximus_ , Ambassador to Earth!" Though he slurred his words a bit, Mikey was still mostly conscious as he congratulated his friend.

"You make a very valid point, Mike," Baxium repleid with a small smile. "I bet I could take you on," he added with a challenging grin.

"Hah! You're on! I'm _still_ Battle Nexus Champion, I'll have you know!" Mikey retorted.

"Then show us what you've got! _Former_ Battle Nexus Champion," Traximus challenged, his voice booming over the crowd. "Care to redeem yourself by shutting him down for the night, Baxium?"

Baxium cracked his knuckles as he stared Mikey down. "Oh, I'd never give up the _honor_ to fight someone of such _high regard_!"

Back in the party now, Raph shoved his brother forward. "Well go on, Mikey. Defend your _honor_."

"Tch, I've got this, you can stay sittin, bro."

"I wasn't plannin on movin anyway," Raph replied as Mikey entered the center of the crowd with Baxium. While the fight started, Mira grabbed a plastic cup off the counter and started pouring eie into it.

"You know that stuff's rank, right?" Raph asked. "It's more sour than a warhead."

Mira locked eyes with him as she took down half a cup in one go. Though she tried to fight the contortion of her face, a little bit still got through. "It really hits the spot though," she countered before pouring herself some more.

"You're about to get real messed up," Ashley commented in amusement.

"That's why we're here, isn't it?"

With a shrug, Ashley went for some punch at the food table. "Point taken."

Raph built up the courage to say something as Mira took down another drink of eie. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" he asked.

She glanced at him before taking another drink. "I didn't think you'd recognize me."

"I almost didn't," he said. "But your face hasn't really changed that much now that I think about it."

"Yeah, and you haven't changed at all, I'll bet," Mira retorted. Suddenly feeling awkard, she downed the rest of her drink and watched the fight just as Mikey leapt over the shoulders of Baxium, insulting him as he did so.

"C'mon Baxi!" she shouted.

Raph watched as she did her best to ignore him, but he couldn't get over just how small the world really had to be for him to see her here, as a friend of a friend.

There was some bad blood between them when he left their old school for good, but he thought that after a few years things would fade away. But Mira just sat there, her back to him while she cheered on someone else.

He shook his head as he took another drink. _It's not like there's anything to be mad about. Nothing ever even happened between us anyway. We just fought and insulted each other. No need to make it weird,_ he thought.

He tossed his empty bottle into a bin just as Mikey got tripped by Baxium's tail swiping underneath him. Mira cheered again and Baxium wasted no time pinning the smaller turtle to the ground.

"You may be a very skilled ninja, but your cockiness will be the end of you," Baxium said while offering a hand to help Mikey up.

Embarrassed, Mikey accepted the hand and brushed himself off. "You clearly had all the advantages here," he retorted. Baxium placed a hand on his shell and led him back to the bar.

"I'll pour you a drink, friend. No hard feelings." When they returned, Baxium did as he said he would and poured Mikey a decent shot of some clear alcohol. Ashley came back with punch in her hand, seeming almost disappointed she had missed the outcome of the fight.

"I'm guessing you won, Bax?" she asked just as Mira kissed his cheek.

"Yeah," he said with a sheepish kind of smile.

"Yeah he did," Mira emphasized as she squeezed his hand, being much more physical than Ashley had seen her be before.

Baxium noticed her behavior as well and glanced at her cup. "You got into the eie I see. If you're not careful you might turn into a Triceraton." Baxium then grabbed the jug to pour some for himself.

"Who's next?" Traximus' booming voice commanded. The crowd began muttering as people tried to put together one on one teams.

"Hey, Mira," Raph started, getting her attention. "You wanna go? Y'know, for old time's sake."

Mira looked at him while Mikey, Ashley, and especially Baxium appeared concerned with the mere thought of the two of them fighting.

"Hey now, you gotta take these challenges seriously," Baxium said. "Why would you even suggest that?"

"Oh he and Mira go waaay back," Mikey chimed in. "They'd fight like every day, and most times Mira got one over on ol' Raphie here," he continued as he patted Raph's back smugly.

"Well?" Raph urged, not taking his eyes off Mira.

Mira looked at her drink while the others watched her with bated breath. She downed the rest of the eie and stood up. "Let's go, then."

* * *

Are you hype? I'm hype. Even though we all know how this is probably gonna end... Leave a review please! :D


	7. Faceoff

Okay, apologies for my poor grammar and spelling earlier. I actually proofread this one, and I spelled Triceraton correctly and consistently. So please let me know what you're thinking about this! I updated the rating to M because I didn't want to have to worry about any 'bad words' or hints to anything sexual cuz whO TF KNOWS MAN WE JUST LIVIN OUR BEST LIVES HERE ON THANKS BYE

* * *

"Mira, wait, are you sure you want to do this? You've been drinking a lot," Baxium said with concern as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah," she replied with a shit-eating grin. "That just means I won't feel anything."

Her reckless talk concerned him and he gave Raph a look of warning. "I really don't like the sound of this," he voiced once again. Before Raph and Mira could get on the floor, Devy entered the fighting stage with a friend.

"Good, that will give us time to talk this out-" Baxium started before Ashley stopped him.

"Bax, one thing you gotta learn is that there's almost no talking Mira out of something once she's drunk."

"Don't worry Bax, I'll go easy on her," Raph added with a smirk. "I won't hurt her too bad or nothin."

"I don't want you to hurt her at _all_ ," Bax warned as he made a small movement to protect her.

"Don't worry about me, Baxi," Mira said as Devy pinned their friend to the ground, now about 3 sizes larger than they originally were. "I used to fight this jerk all the time."

"Just be safe, alright?" He gave her the closest thing to a kiss on the cheek as he could manage, causing her to blush before she walked out with Raph. "I'll be rootin for you."

"Along with us, too!" Mikey said with a laugh as he put an arm around Ashley.

"You're not gonna cheer for your brother?" she asked. Mikey just continued to laugh as Traximus introduced the next fight.

"What's the matter, Raph? You too afraid to fight someone your own size?" Traximus teased.

"Don't underestimate her," Raph warned. "…But I'd still bet on me."

Mira glared at him as they got into their ready stances and Traximus began the countdown. Mira _was_ drunk, and Raph wasn't sure just how much he outmatched her now. He had no intentions of hurting her, but the rush he felt from the nostalgia of facing off with her was enough to overcome any doubt he had. With a grin, he charged at her with a fist drawn for a punch.

Baxium watched nervously as they fought, ready to step in at any time if Mira needed. It went against almost every fiber of his being to let them fight one another, but it was the rules of the game. Mira accepted the challenge and there was nothing Baxium could do about it.

Mira dodged out of the way of another attack and swiftly swung her leg up to deliver a swift kick to his head. Despite her wobbly footing, she made contact but found herself stumbling to remain balanced after the fact. Raph charged at her again and she swerved out of the way just to catch herself on the side of the dj's stand.

Raph wasn't much better after the several drinks he had that night, and had to pause for a moment to make sure he had the right target in sight.

"So, Bax," Mikey started curiously, gaining his friend's attention. "Are you and Mira like, an item?"

Baxium eyed his friend's smug smirk and returned his gaze back to Mira and Raph. "I'm... actually not sure. We haven't come up with anything official." He crossed his arms in thought. Raph managed to grab hold of Mira's arms and hold them behind her back, but she refused to go down without a fight.

"Well how do _you_ feel about it?" Mikey continued. "I mean does it make you feel weird seeing Raph, an old childhood fr- er, acquaintance, fight her like that? I mean to win one of 'em _has_ to pin the other one on the ground. That could be awkward."

"Why are you instigating like that?" Ashley asked. "Does Raph like her or something?"

Mikey just shrugged. Baxium continued watching the fight as Mira gained some semblance of an upper hand just to have it ripped from under her as Raph's foot swept her legs. He assisted her to the ground and pinned her there with an elbow on her back and a smrik as Traximus called the fight.

Baxium quickly went over to help her up, though Raph had already offered his hand. Mira opted to receive help from Baxium rather than her opponent and made sure her skirt hadn't exposed too much. "You're just lucky I'm not as coordinated right now," she defended. "I wouldn't have fallen for so many cheap shots."

"Whatever you wanna tell yourself," Raph replied with a smirk. "You want another drink?"

Baxium eyed Raph as he led Mira back to the bar. "I'm more than capable of getting whatever she wants," he stated.

"I'd say that's enough fighting for now, how about we get back to the party?" Devy encouraged. As Traximus mingled with more of his cohorts, Devy took on the responsibility of continuing the party. The crowd cheered as the dj chose a track to play. "Please continue to eat and drink! But be mindful of how you're going home or getting to a hotel," they warned.

The music began playing louder than the voices of those mingling and encouraged several couples and groups to fill the floor with dancing again.

Ashley had already begun consuming more alcohol when Baxium poured drinks for himself and Mira. Mikey watched as others started to dance and eyed the group he was currently sitting with. Raph and Mira were actually starting to talk while Baxium remained behind her with thoughts of their relationship burning through his head.

Mikey turned his attention to Ashley as she finished her cocktail. "You wanna go dance?" he asked.

Ashley, having been nervous about the party from the start, looked at her friend for any clue of what to do, but found her to be uselessly engaged with Raph and Baxium. Looking out at the crowd, she assessed the danger of being seen dancing horribly with a total stranger. With the crowd of varied races and dancing styles paired with the dark room and alcohol consumption, Ashley turned back to Mikey and made her way off the stool. "Sure, why not?"

With a grin, Mikey led her to the dancefloor.

While her friend got down on the dancefloor, Mira was busy catching up with Raph while Baxium stood behind her with a sudden awkward air around him. Mira couldn't quite place what was wrong, but she knew it had something to do with Raph.

"You alright Baxi?" she asked, looking up at him curiously.

He returned her look with an insincere smile and a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, I'm alright. You know, you put up a good fight babe. I'm pretty impressed."

She blushed at his pet name and continued drinking from her cup.

"He's right," Raph agreed. "Though we used to be more equally matched I was surprised you held your own that long."

"Maybe you just underestimated me," she suggested confidently. Baxium gently squeezed her shoulder while he continued to drink as well.

Even Raph could tell how awkward Baxium was feeling, and it was clearly putting a damper on their night. Feeling as if he had caused the discomfort, he tried to make things more about them. "So how long have you guys known each other?"

His question attracted both of their attention and they looked at each other before Baxium answered. "About two months now."

"And have you been datin this whole time?" Raph gave a curious look as he asked, noticing immediately how awkward they both became at having to answer anything regarding their relationship.

Baxium cleared his throat and gave Mira a quick glance as he nodded. "Uh yeah, kinda. I mean the past month at least."

Though she was drunk, Mira did feel her cheeks begin to warm up as she nodded in agreement. Raph nodded along. "So it's official, then?"

Mira held back her snarky 'why do you wanna know so bad?' response out of curiosity for what Baxium would say. She watched him as he looked at her questioningly. The awkward air was drowned out by the music playing in the background, and Baxium figured it was up to him to determine.

"Yeah," he said, finally smiling with confidence. "She's my girl, and I'm hers," he clarified with a grin. Mira couldn't help the smile the grew on her face while Baxium gently squeezed her arms. They were still new to the inter-species relationship scene, and it honestly felt just as weird as anyone looking at them from the outside thought it was, but if they made each other happy why should that matter?

"I'm happy for you then," Raph said. "He probably wouldn't even tell ya for a while, but Baxium's been havin it pretty rough with the ladies lately."

Baxium gave a disapproving look as he reached for more eie. "C'mon Raph, don't start that now. It's not even relevant."

"Well now I'm curious, what does that mean?" Mira asked, hoping it didn't mean Baxium was just desperate.

"It's nothin, really," Baxium assured her as he brought his drink back up to his lips. "I mean my family obviously would prefer I find another Triceraton, but I just don't seem to click with ladies of my kind." He eyed Raph as if to send a sarcastic 'thanks' for the trouble. Bax leaned against the bar, looking at Mira.

"You remember when we were talking about those flowers? And I told ya they weren't a typical gift?" Mira nodded. "Well I thought it'd be nice, you know, if I got this one girl flowers from a shop while we were walking by. I had already gotten her some fine stones for a collection I knew she had, but I guess she wasn't fond of the flowers I bought. She threw 'em away right in front of me and after that I just didn't think it was worth another date."

He took a drink and gave Mira some time to think about it. "And other girls my family's set me up with have been kinda the same. I think they're tryin to go for a type that I just don't get along with very well." He gave a little smile and a shrug.

Mira couldn't help but feel bad for him as he explained his situation. She put a hand on his arm as the music transitioned into another song. Ashley came back with Mikey in tow and she went right up to Mira before she could say anything.

"Hey, weren't you out to have a good time? Come dance!"

Mira stared at her friend as Baxium finished his drink and stood up. "That's a great idea! Let's dance, sweetheart." He held his hand out to her and she happily took it.

Mikey nudged his brother. "You too, Raph! Lots of cuties out here."

Raph finished his beer and shrugged. "Why the hell not?"

By the time everyone had gotten onto the dance floor, it was quickly approaching midnight. There was nary a wallflower to be found unless they were breaking for food or drink. Mira's group continued to drink and dance as time passed on. Mira was able to stay on the dance floor with Baxium, and even danced with Mikey when Ashley had to take a break- which happened frequently.

Mira noticed in the few times she did dance with Mikey that none of the Triceratons danced with Baxium when he stayed. She wondered if there was more truth to his story than she realized, or if none of the Triceratons here were romantically or sexually into him... When she thought about it, she really didn't know what separated male and female Triceratons.

But any concerns about Triceraton gender identity would have to wait for another setting. Mira was too busy enjoying herself and getting progressively more intoxicated to worry about anything. Other than, of course, watching her best friend let loose and finally dance with a stranger.

It never even crossed Mira's mind what they were going to do once the party was over...

* * *

I've been making the chapters longer, so I hope that's alright! Anyone feeling like being reviewer #1? I've already got a fave and I know some of y'all are still reading so what's good? I appreciate you, nonetheless! Thanks!


	8. 3AM

Ever feel melancholy for the past before you remember how shitty it was then? Life's funny like that. Keep moving forward, everyone!

* * *

The apartment was steaming hot from the amount of bodies moving to the music. Mira and Ashley were sweating more than they would have wanted, had they not been too drunk to care. As the night progressed, their dancing got progressively more lewd and provocative but it wasn't just them. Even Traximus was getting close to someone.

Devy, the most sober of everyone, stood up next to the dj as the music's volume was lowered. "Alright, I think I speak for everyone when I say that this was a fantastic party!" Devy was met with the crowd's cheers before they continued. "Not to toot my own horn, of course... It's currently 12:45 for those not keeping track of time, and our lovely DJ will be wrapping up in 15 minutes. So get your last few dances in and then figure out how you're getting home or to some other party! Thanks so much for coming out!"

More cheers erupted as Devy left the platform and the music picked up again. Mira, Ashley, and Baxium were taking a breather at the bar, where Bax was preparing a round of waters.

"So... how are we getting home?" Ashley slurred with a drunken smile.

"Uhh..." Mira started, looking to Bax. "I dunno, I did'n think we'd be out here so late."

"Well, we can wait for the train... but it might take a while, or we could set up at a hotel nearby," Baxium suggested. Though significantly less drunk than the others, Baxium was also slurring his words a bit. "It depends on what you ladies wanna do."

"A hotel bed sounds really nice..." Ashley muttered. "But I'm not sure I wanna be in the same room as you two." She side-eyed them as she took a drink of her water and Mira just rolled her eyes.

"Hotels here are too expensive... we should prolly just go home." Mira drank from her cup as well while Baxium pulled out his phone.

"I'll see if I can find a schedule... We might just have to play our luck."

Suddenly, Mikey slapped a drunken hand on his shoulder. "Nah, don't bother dude. We just gotta head down there and hope they're goin soon!"

"1am seems like a reasonable time for them to have a train running, right? Not like 1:08 or something?" Ashley asked, her drunken speech still slurred.

"I'm sure we'll get a train sometime! They run all night anyway... Hey! We should all go together! I'll go get Raph." Mikey shoved off of Baxium and headed back into the crowd to find his brother.

Mira nudged Ashley with a knowing smile before sipping her water. "What?" Ashley asked, slumping a bit onto the bar and grabbing her own water. "I dunno waht you're talkin about."

"I didn't even say anything!"

Mikey quickly returned with Raph in tow, ready to leave. Raph didn't appear quite as chipper as his brother as he remained mostly quiet, but did smile on occasion. Soon, after saying goodbye to Traximus, the others were ready to go also. The music started to fade as they walked back to the elevator and rode it downstairs.

The evening was much cooler than the day had been, and Baxium didn't hesitate to put a hand on Mira's exposed shoulder to sheild her from the breeze. Had he worn a second shirt, he would have happily given it to her.

As Mikey watched Baxium and Mira get close to one another, he couldn't help but feel inspired to try and make his move as well. He put his arm around Ashley's shoulders and tried his best to interest her without scaring her off. Though, admittedly, it was difficult to judge how someone else was feeling while intoxicated.

"That was some party, huh?" he asked with a smile.

Ashley returned the smile, leaning into his arm. "Yeah, I had a lot'f fun!"

"Me too!" he replied with a squeeze. "It's cool I got to see you again."

They continued their conversation as Raph hung around behind them, feeling the awkwardness of being a 5th wheel.

Mira stumbled around under Baxium's arm before slowing to a stop. "Hang on, hang on. I need to take off my shoes," she grumbled, leaning on Baxium for support while removing her shoes. The others stopped to wait for her.

"What are you gonna walk with?" Baxium asked.

"I'll jus walk barefoot," she explained. "I've done it before."

As she started to stumble forward again, barefoot, she suddenly was lifted into the air. When she stopped moving, she placed a hand out for balance as she sat on Baxium's arm. "I can just carry you, y'know," he said with a smile.

Mira gasped excitedly. "Wow!" She leaned against his shoulder as they started walking again, Ashley laughing at the sight.

"Baxi, you're gonna have to start charging for that," Ashley said, leaning against Mikey as they stumbled along.

"Hey, I could do that!" Mikey said bravely, before attempting to lift Ashley off the ground. With a yelp, Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck as he stumbled forward. Mikey quickly lost balance in his overzealous efforts, but before Ashley completely fell out of his arms, Raph came up from behind to catch her.

"Mikey don't be a dumbass!" He set Ashley back on the ground as Mikey stumbled forward and caught himself on a sign post. "You alright?"

Ashley slowly blinked and shook her head, trying to process what had just happened. "Uh huh..." As she used his shoulder to regain balance, Mikey came back with a sheepish grin.

"Sorry about that, I guess I lost my balance." Mikey put his arm around her shoulders as they continued to the train.

"'S all good," she said. Turning back to look at Raph, she stretched her arm out. "Thanks Raph!"

"Don't mention it," he replied with a faint smile, hands in his pockets as he followed close behind.

"You guys are great," Ashley said, continuing to lean on Mikey as they finally got to the train. Baxium had some difficulty fitting in the car, but managed to keep holding Mira until she was able to sit. She leaned against him the entire time, eyes closed as she started drifting off.

Ashley sat next to Mikey as he had his arm around her. The two were laughing to themselves while trying to fend off sleep as Raph sat next to them awkwardly. He was happy to see his brother and friend happy, and enjoyed the party just as much as the rest of them, but he couldn't help but feel melancholy for simpler days. Before he had to worry about humans or other creatures living topside it was just him and his family living about as simple a life as they could.

 _What am I thinkin?_ he thought. _Wasn't too long ago I was just achin to be able to go topside without someone screamin' in my face._

Raph smiled to himself as he continued to think of the past and how far his family had come in the last twenty-something years. As Ashley and Mikey quieted down, Baxium nodded to Raph.

"You doin alright?"

He nodded and leaned back in his seat. "Yeah. Just thinkin."

"Care to share?" Baxium glanced down at Mira with a tender smile, holding her closer to him as she dozed.

"It's nothin worth noting... Just thinkin about how crazy it is we're about to go back to a normal apartment among a bunch of humans, and I don't have to worry about being seen anymore."

"I am surprised that out of all of your brothers, you were the one to move out," Baxium said. "Aren't the others still underground?"

Raph nodded. "Yeah. I just wanted to get outta there. And since I have a job now it wasn't that hard. 'Specially with this one splitting rent."

Mikey grinned at them while Ashley slept against him as well. The ride remained filled with quiet conversation about the new world they all lived in. Though their settings had changed, they held onto the things that were the same, and the friendship that kept them together. When they got to their last stop, Raph was finally back to smiling as the melancholy feelings drifted away.

"You coming inside?" Ashley asked Baxium as she unlocked the door. Mira stayed half-conscious in his arm, voicing how comfortable he was.

"You should totally come inside," Mira slurred slowly, moving to lead the way inside.

"Alright, I'll come in if you really want to," he said quietly, conscious to the way their voices echoed through the street.

"But don't get any ideas," Mira added with a smirk. Ashley let her lead the way in and brought up the rear with Mikey. Baxium kept a hand out in case Mira slipped up on the stairs, though she stumbled up with no falls. Once they got to their floor, Raph said goodnight and continued heading upstairs while Baxium was led to Mira and Ashley's apartment.

The door was just big enough for him to squeeze in without too much discomfort, though his horns nearly scraped the ceiling as he stood inside. Mira continued going deeper into the apartment, urging Baxium to follow her.

Baxium looked around before peeking back out the door to where Ashley should have been. "Are you coming in-" he stopped when he saw her pulling away from Mikey, clearly from some kind of kiss, and brought his head back inside with a flustered look. "Right."

He closed the door, leaving it unlocked, and walked down the hall where the only light was on, assuming it was where Mira was. She stepped out of the door to her room to greet him, wearing a big shirt and shorts while holding onto the door frame for balance.

"Hey," she said, clearly still drun and enjoying herself. "You better not try anything tonight."

Flustered by what she was insinuating, he put his hands up with a sheepish smile. "I wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart."

"Good." She nodded once, then grabbed his hand to pull him inside, and closed the door behind them. "Then it's bed time."

"Are you sure you want me staying here? I'm not sure your bed is even big enough." Though the room was mostly filled with Mira's queen sized bed, it was barely big enough to fit Baxium, much less the two of them.

"Worth a shot." She shrugged and pulled aside the covers to let him in.

Baxium pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking the time as he set it on the desk beside him. 3AM, it read. He figured there was hardly any point in trying to get home at that hour and began removing his shirt and pants- not wanting to ruin them. He heard the front door creak open and close before Ashley locked it, and he briefly wondered if she returned alone.

Mira tried to keep her reaction to seeing his ripped body in person to herself, but it was difficult, even as he awkwardly struggled to figure out a way to get in her bed while leaving room for her. After a minute or so of awkardly turning around and concerning squeaking from the bed, Mira finally helped him find a spot where they could both manage to be there without him crushing her.

Baxium lay on his stomach, arms outstreched with the covers pulled over him. His feet and tail dangled off the bed while Mira got comfortable on his bare back. Though just as muscular and with skin just as tough as the rest of him, he was surprisingly soft in the space between what she guessed were his shoulder blades.

Baxium didn't think he'd be moving much that night.

* * *

I just don't want you to think this is a group of _completely_ irresponsible beings...


	9. Saturday Morning

These last few chapters have been going in order, but they'll eventually start being split up a bit more. I like to post chapters as often as I can, but please forgive me for any delays!

* * *

The city was bustling that Saturday morning as the sun was out without a single cloud in the sky. The sun shone through the blinds of Mira's bedroom, illuminating the sleeping forms of Mira and Baxium, in a position very similar to how they fell asleep. Baxium was snoring quietly into the pillow as Mira stretched out her arms and legs with a yawn, waking up to the warm sunshine coming through her window.

As soon as she was conscious, Mira's head was dully throbbing as she turned over and tried to shield her face from the light. As she groaned, Baxium stirred from his sleep. The first thing he saw when his white eyes opened was an embroidered pillow that he did not recognize. He quickly remembered the events of last night and why he chose to stay with Mira, who was currently trying to hide her face in his back.

He gave a small smile and closed his eyes again, taking in the feel of the bed and her bare skin against his own. His brows furrowed and he opened his eyes in confusion. He couldn't feel that much skin before he fell asleep. Carefully, he began moving as he attempted to get up, but was met with aggressive protesting groans from Mira. He brought up an arm to hold onto her as he attempted to roll over, though the positioning on the small bed was a little too awkard.

Mira opened her eyes as his hand came up to her hip, only to be pulled away as soon as he only came in contact with just skin. It was then that Mira realized at some point in the night she had removed her shirt. However, Mira couldn't be bothered to care at that moment.

Baxium gave up for the time being, accepting that he was her bed until she decided to get up, and tried not to think to hard about her clothing situation.

Just beyond her wall, in Ashley's room, Ashley woke up with a similar feeling in her head. She picked up her phone from where it was charging to check the time- 9:37. She could afford to sleep for a bit longer. She spread out on her empty bed and buried her face back into her pillow.

As the hours passed, Mira found it difficult to continue sleeping her headache away. She finally opened her eyes and accepted that she'd have to face being topless with Baxium in the room. Mira let out a soft sigh, waking Baxium back up from his light slumber. He tried to peer at her over his shoulder to see if she was finally able to wake up.

"Ugh," she groaned, steadying herself while sitting up on his back.

"You feelin alright?" he asked, his voice dry and quiet. She just groaned again in response. He smiled while laying his head back down on his pillow. "I could get you some water if I can get outta bed," he said.

There was a pause as Mira's sleepy brain processed what he said. She nearly forgot she was on top of him. "Oh, sorry." As she climbed off of him, Baxium fought the urge to satisfy his curiosity by sneaking a peek at her. He couldn't help but feel a little happy, even as he stretched out the kinks in his neck and shoulders.

"Did you sleep okay?" Mira asked, searching the floor for her shirt.

"Yeah," he replied. Out of habit, he turned his head to reply to her and caught an unintended look at her bare back. He quickly turned his head back around and continued stretching. "Did you?"

Mira smiled to herself as she put her shirt back on, staring at the very back she had just spent the night on. "Yeah, actually. You're very comfortable."

She plopped back into bed and watched as he stood up and finished his stretches. She watched as his skin moved and she made out some of the tattoos he had on his arm and back- she didn't even realize they were there before. There was a bright blue one on his forearm that was clearly in Triceriton writing, while others seemed more of a cultural aesthetic design in black ink. When he dared take another peek behind him, he was thankful she was wearing something.

"What're you lookin at?" he asked with a smirk.

"Your tattoos," she replied simply, starting to feel her hangover all over again.

"Oh, those," he said as he looked at them. "Yeah, I don't really show 'em off much."

"Hm," she said with a nod. Though she wanted to talk to him more about them, the headache she had prevented her from doing much more than laying down and observing.

Baxium knealt by the bed and laid his head down close to her, a gentle smile painted across his face. She closed her eyes when his hand began stroking her hair, feeling relaxed by his soothing company. "You need some painkillers?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, her eyes still closed. "They should be in the bathroom... or on the table. I can't remember."

He stopped his hand as it came across her cheek and pushed himself closer to touch his mouth to her nose. "Don't worry about it, I'll find 'em." He got up and she watched him through half-lidded eyes as he left the room for her. Her cheeks warmed at the thought of having spent the night with Baxium. And he definitely hadn't tried anything. And she definitely remembered him calling her his girlfriend the night before, thanks to Raph's prying.

Mira closed her eyes as her thoughts wandered, and she briefly thought about if Ashley was sleeping alone or not.

Baxium had a failed attempt at locating any painkillers in the bathroom. When he left to check the table, Ashley was feeding the cat. When she saw him she didn't even try to hide her gaze as it drifted curiously. "Goodmorning," she said with a nod before returning to the kitchen.

"Morning," he replied, feeling a bit embarrassed that he hadn't even put on his pants or a shirt before leaving. "Do you know where the painkillers are?"

Ashley came back with the bottle in her hand. "I needed some too," she said with a knowing smile. "That cabinet has cups and there's a pitcher in the fridge." Baxium thanked her before she returned to her room drowsily. As he poured the water, their cat entered the kitchen curiously to watch him.

 _I didn't even realize they had a cat,_ he thought.

By the time Mira's headache had gone away, it was already noon and Saturday was halfway over. It didn't take long for them to decide on brunch plans as everyone's body was requesting nourishment after the alcoholic beatings they took the night before.

"Why don't you guys go ahead, I'm gonna hang out here and get some things done," Ashley said.

"Are you sure?" Mira asked suspiciously. "You can come with us."

Ashley just shook her head while taking out some bagels from the fridge, "Nah, you guys go, I need to catch up on some chores before I go back to work tomorrow."

"You're working on a Sunday?" Baxium asked.

"Yeah, that's the life of a full timer working a part-time job. Weekends are busy," she said with a shrug.

"Alright, well we'll just be down the street if you change your mind," Mira said before Ashley ushered them out the door.

"Does she not want to come because of me?" Baxium asked, genuinely curious and concerned. Mira shook her head assuredly.

"No, she usually has to catch up on chores like that. It's not you, Baxi."

He gave her a smile and, once he squeezed through the door, they were able to enjoy the beautiful day that was before them. Several other couples and joggers made their way through the neighborhood, each one taking in the bright rays of sun while they could.

After arriving at the family-run cafe two streets down, Mira and Baxium had been the only inter-species relationship in that part of the neighborhood. They got plenty of looks, but it mostly went ignored by people just trying to enjoy the day. They were seated, outside of course, with no issues.

While sitting across from her in a chair that was the right size for him, but not the best size for the table, Baxium felt good about his place in life. "So," he started. Pigeons hobbled by while they waited for their food. "Did you have a good time at the party last night?"

She nodded with a smile. "Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Did you have a good time? I'm sorry if I dragged you into being my bed."

He gave a deep chuckle. "Don't worry about it, it was an honor. I'm glad you had fun, even if it was all the way in Queens."

"I barely even remember how we got home, so..."

He shook his head with a smile before taking a drink of his water. "You were bein cute the whole time."

"How so?" she asked, trying to ignore the blush rising on her cheeks.

"You were sleepin on me the whole train ride back. I thought it was cute."

She awkwardly took a drink from her water, wishing she hadn't asked. "Sorry about that."

"No, don't apologize, really. I enjoyed your company."

She gave him a cute smile that he couldn't help but return to her. "By the way, I meant what I said last night, if you're okay with that."

With a confused look she asked, "what did you say?"

"That I was your boyfriend."

His words caught her off guard, but she didn't complain about them. In fact, she was happy to hear his final words on the matter, it made things easier for her. "Yeah, I'm cool with that."

They shared smiles before their food arrived, and later took a walk through the nearby park until Baxium felt awkward enough in his night before clothes to want to go home and change.

* * *

I would still really love to hear what any readers are thinking. I know it's not much of an enticing story with a lot of turtles in it, but if you're enjoying it please let me know! Anonymous reviews should be on. :D


	10. Shopping Experiences

Alright, after this chapter things will be more slice-of-life-y. With random shits occurring. I'll probably go a little more in depth with other aliens and the guys soon enough, too. For now, please enjoy this one!

* * *

Raph stood in the kitchen wearing only pants and an exhausted face as he stared at the sizzling bacon in a pan. He went over the events of the night before in his head. He couldn't help but question how Baxium and Mira spent their night, but quickly moved along from that thought to avoid any future awkwardness. It wasn't any of his business anyway.

Mikey walked into the room with an exaggerated yawn, smelling the bacon. "Whatcha cookin?" he asked as he hovered over the pan.

"What's it look like to you?" Raph replied as he flipped the strips over.

"Buuuuuut is it _just_ bacon or are you gonna make somethin else?" Mikey began gathering a couple of plates and an extra pan in anticipation for Raph's answer.

"I mean I was gonna make some eggs, too I guess. But those ain't gonna take as long."

With a grin, Mikey began gathering other materials including the eggs, a bowl, and flour. "Dude, it's the morning after a late night out drinking, we _gotta_ have pancakes!"

Raph just shook his head as Mikey started on the pancakes. "You seem chipper this morning, what's gotten into you?"

"Nothin," Mikey said with a shrug. "You not feelin so hot Raphie?"

Raph just shrugged. "I'm fine, just tired."

They continued cooking their breakfast together as Raph tried to wake himself up. "Took you a while to get up here last night," he noted casually.

"Yeah," Mikey said with a smile. "I just had to say goodnight to Ashley."

Raph finally cracked a smile. "I figured it was somethin like that."

/

Mira walked beside Baxium as he led the way to his apartment. She wanted to spend more of her day off with him, but was worried about who she might find at his place. She remembered him talking about his family and their expectations for his relationships and knew that she didn't meet any of them.

"So, Baxi," she started awkwardly, wanting to have enough time to prepare herself for what she might be met with. "Do you live by yourself, or with roommates, or...?"

"I've got a roommate to help with the rent but He might not even be home since it's so nice out. Usually he goes to visit his family on Saturdays."

"Oh," Mira replied, thankful that she wouldn't be forced to meet his family, and possibly not even his roommate. "What's his name?"

"Ryan. He's a really nice guy, I think you'd like him."

Mira replied with a thoughtful nod and hm, still just thankful that she wouldn't have to interact with too many people today.

Baxium's apartment was only a few blocks away from the cafe they ate at, so they were there in no time. The building was much bigger than Mira's and he easily fit through the door that was so massively bigger than herself. He led her to the elevator and she immediately noticed how much space he had.

With a smile, Baxium put his hand around her shoulder and bent down to press his face against her cheek. Smiling, she returned the gesture as she held his hand with her own, much smaller one, then turning to kiss him. He simply gave her a sheepish smile and held her closer to him.

As the elevator went up, she wondered if the face pressing he did was similar to a kiss, since he didn't really have lips to kiss with. Before she could build up any kind of courage to ask about it, the elevator doors opened and Baxium had taken her hand to lead her to his apartment.

Of course, it was large. But there were things in the apartment that were of a human-size like several chairs and the fridge. Mira was curious about how big his bed was, since her queen mattress was too small for him, but didn't think she'd be seeing that any time soon.

"Hey, Ryan, you here?" Baxium called as he dropped his keys on the table. There was no reply. "Guess not." He smiled at Mira and gestured to the living room. "Make yourself at home, I'm just gonna get changed."

"Okay." She walked to the living room, still looking around curiously as he walked to his room. The windowed wall of the living room was made of red bricks while the other walls were an off-white drywall. She found the look interesting, and the dark yellow couch fit in better than she thought it would have.

She was grateful the place wasn't totally spotless. There was a duffle bag laying next to the door with clothes falling out of it and about 3 pairs of shoes trailing from the door to the kitchen. One pair was clearly Baxium's. In the living room, there were a couple of newspapers strewn about the coffee table along with mugs, cups, and more clothes lying around. It wasn't a total pig sty and it didn't reek, but it felt very lived in.

She was comfortable. At least, as comfortable as she could be in a strange home.

"Hey, do you mind if we go shopping?" Baxium asked from his room, stepping out as he put on a t-shirt.

Mira shook her head. "No, I don't mind. Where did you wanna go?"

"I gotta get another chair," he said, sounding almost embarrassed. "I accidentally broke one of Ryan's last week and I owe him."

Amused, Mira just stared at him. " _How_ did you accidentally break a _chair_?"

"I don't really want to talk about it," he said before going back to his room. "It was a flimsy chair, anyway!"

/

"So, what do you think of Mira?" Mikey asked, lounging on the couch as Raph changed the channels on TV.

"What."

"I mean, she got hot dude."

Raph took in a subtle breath of annoyance and continued searching for something to watch. "I don't know what yer talkin about Mikey, she looked the same to me."

"Uh huh, is that why you didn't recognize her until later in the party?" Mikey asked with a smug smirk.

Raph just rolled his eyes and finally landed on something.

"I mean I guess now she _is_ in a relationship with Bax, but you can still admit she looks good." Mikey watched his brother for his reaction, trying to get a feel of Raph's feelings.

"What are you tryin' to say Mikey? Yeah, she looks good but why should I care?" He leaned back against the couch with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Right," Mikey replied, choosing to drop it and change the subject before he really ticked his brother off. "It's a nice day, why don't we head out?"

Raph shook his head. "Nah, I don't really wanna go anywhere."

"Okay, but we could still use a table before everyone comes to visit and wonders why we all have to eat on the couch."

Raph sighed, then stood up.

/

As Earth grew more populated with various sizes of aliens, everything had to evolve with it. Stores that sold items of much larger or much smaller sizes than humans were found in different parts of each borough in New York. Thankfully, Triceratons weren't the largest race of alien on Earth and Baxium was able to fit in a human-centered store.

"So I'm pretty sure they'll have the right chair here, I got the information from him," Baxium explained as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.

Mira nodded as she looked around the store. She was familiar with this particular discount furniture store, but still enjoyed the various room set ups that were sprinkled throughout the store. "So where do we go?"

"Uh..." Bax looked around before spotting a set that looked similar to what they had at the apartment. "Over there, I think."

As they looked around at the various chairs and dining room sets, Mikey and Raph entered the same store to look for a cheap table of their own. "Alright, it needs to be affordable, _but_ it also has to look good."

"But mostly be affordable," Raph emphasized.

There were several couples and families of various medium-sized races searching through the store and figuring out which furniture they wanted. As Raph and Mikey searched for cheap table sets, Mira and Bax were working with an associate to find the right chair to go with Ryan's set.

Though they were on completely opposite sides of the store, it didn't take long for Mikey and Raph to spot them.

"What do you think they're doing here?" Mikey asked curiously.

"I dunno," Raph replied before moving on to the next table. "Hey, this one's only 500."

Mikey followed him and pretended to look at the table while keeping an eye on Mira and Baxium, who hadn't noticed them yet. "Do you think they're like moving in or something?" he asked curiously.

Raph sighed for the hundredth time since Mikey had moved in with him. "Mind your own business Mikey."

"But they're here!" he yell-whispered. "Buying furniture! They're dating and buying furniture together Raph!"

"This store doesn't have anything for Bax in it, Mira probably just asked him to help her take something to her place."

"Yeah, cuz they're _moving in_ together!"

"Jeez, Mikey, why are you so obsessed with them?" Raph asked, finally giving his brother the attention he was after.

"You're not? It's _Mira_ in a relationship with _Baxium_! I mean, how does that even work? You'd think he'd crush her..."

"I'm done talking about this," Raph said as he rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna see about getting this one."

While Raph walked away, Mikey continued watching Mira and Baxium as they finally picked out a set to go with and Baxium paid for it with his own money. _That's it,_ Mikey thought, unable to go on without knowing for sure what their situation was.

"Mira, Bax! What're you guys doing here?" Mikey asked cheerily as he walked over to them.

Both Mira and Baxium were caught off guard as he approached, and just looked at one another awkwardly. "I'm buying a chair," Bax told him, just as a large box was being brought out to them.

"...Just a chair?"

Baxium nodded. "Yeah, my roommate needs a new one to go with his set. He has a warranty on it but I paid for what was left over for getting a new piece cuz... well it was my fault his other one broke." He gave a sheepish smile as he took the box and thanked the worker. "I just finished explaining it to them, too."

Mira felt her cheeks flush as she realized that two people had now thought they were moving in together.

"Oh," Mikey started, giving a nod. "Well that's cool, we're just buying a new table," he added on so as not to make it awkward, gesturing to Raph. "Raph just wanted the cheapest one, he doesn't care about how it looks."

"Hey, that's the philosophy we had for our couch. It looks awful," Baxium said with a laugh. Mira couldn't help but laugh with him.

"Well, I'll let you get back to your chair delivery, we gotta work out this table thing. See ya around!" Mikey waved as they parted ways, Baxium carrying the box over his shoulder.

"Did ya have fun sticking your nose in other people's business?" Raph asked as soon as Mikey returned.

"Turns out he's just gettin a chair for his roommate," Mikey said with a shrug.

"Great, now that you're done with that, let's buy our table."

* * *

I'm not so great at ending chapters but this felt better than dragging on the day I think. I'll probably reference back to this chapter next time but idk, I'm literally making this up as a go along with no real idea of where to take it. Any thoughts and reviews are appreciated! Thanks!


	11. Doubt (I)

Here's a short one for ya! Yeah, it's just what it sounds like (drama).

* * *

"Alright, tell me. What happened to Mikey?"

Mira and Ashley were eating at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant one night for dinner, when the topic of relationships came up. Mira was still happily going steady with Baxium, and both had been a little too nervous to make any further moves yet. Ashley, however, maintained her single lifestyle despite the clear chemistry Mira sensed between her and their upstairs neighbor.

"What do you mean?" Ashley asked, feeling a tad uncomfortable at the mention of him.

"I _mean_ ," Mira started as she reached for her drink, "that I know you guys had fun at the party and you told me about your vague memory of making out with him and how you found his number the next morning, so what's going on there?"

Ashley shuffled in her seat and busied herself by fixing her updo. "There's nothing there," she said simply. "It happened and now nothing is happening. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't have my number, which is good."

"And why _not_?"

She huffed, bringing her arms down and giving her friend a look of defeat. "Why are we talking about me? I wanted to hear more about your last date with Bax! Do you guys think you're gonna get farther than the face rubbing?" she asked with a humorous tone.

"Hey, the nuzzling is cute, alright? Don't make fun of him for it."

"I'm not! It's just different and cute. But not exactly something you can turn into something else, if you know what I mean..."

Mira took a drink and set her glass down. "No, I don't. But I don't think I want to."

They paused the conversation when their food was placed in front of them to eat. Both had jobs that demanded a lot from them physically, and both had worked up an admirable appetite from their day. The conversation wasn't forgotten, though.

"No, but really. Do you even _want_ to do anything more with him? Or is this just gonna be a lightly physical relationship?" Ashley asked, eyeing her friend with a curious expression.

"I don't know," Mira replied, her voice a bit higher than usual from the awkwardness she felt. "Why are we even talking about it?"

Ashley shrugged. "I just wanna know how things are going. And, you know my nosy ass, I wanna know how _that_ works," she added with a smirk.

"For that, I'm never telling you," Mira said before she continued eating.

"Honestly though," Ashley went on. "I want you to be safe, but I also want you to be happy. If it's bothering you at all you should talk to him about it for sure. Or me, you know, when we aren't in public."

Mira eyed her. "When did I say it was bothering me?"

"You didn't! But I know you aren't an asexual person so I thought it was a possibility. It's not like you'd bring it up if you _were_ feeling some type of way about it."

Though she had a point, Mira was still slightly uncomfortable with Ashley's casual discussion about it. The feeling was worse since Mira realized that she wasn't sure Baxium had even made much of a move on her. He would sometimes put his hand a _little_ too low on her back, or pull her in close to him in a loving embrace, but without the cues she was used to looking for it felt more like he wasn't interested in her in the way she might have liked.

Mira left the restaurant with Ashley that night having thoughts and doubts about her relationship with Baxium. Was she just an emotional rebound?

* * *

Am I gonna take this too far? Who knows.


	12. Doubt (II)

This one's a bit longer than the last one, 2 for one deal! Can anyone guess who Ryan is? Cuz he's not an OC...

* * *

Baxium sat on his ugly yellow couch with Ryan, both drinking beers and watching an action movie with a non-human alien as its star. To be precise, the race of alien was Alynian, known for their deep purple and blue skin tones and tall, slender figures. This particular one, Hijule Hithe, was more on the blue tone with a face almost as long as his neck.

"Does it upset you that all the non-human stars of these things are more human-like than most of the alliancers that come to Earth?" Ryan asked, glancing to Baxium.

"I haven't really given it much thought, but it _would_ be nice to see a Triceraton in a lead instead of an enemy or something in every film," he replied thoughtfully. "Though we don't have it nearly as bad as some other guys."

Just as Baxium noted that, a character played by another race was brutally knocked out by Hijule.

"I don't imagine _that_ went over well with other Grisbons," Ryan muttered.

"Nope," Baxium agreed with a shake of his head.

A few minutes passed and Baxium suddenly had a new outlook on the film and the actors in it. He noticed a trend that didn't sit well with him. "Now that you mention it, I don't see a lot of what humans call 'ugly aliens' in the good guy mix. What's up with that?"

Ryan sipped his beer with an expression that stated he did not want to open that can of worms. "It's typical if I'm being honest. We did it to other humans who looked different from us before any alliancers came. Guess the short stick's getting passed on."

"That's fucked up."

Ryan patted Baxium's shoulder. "I know man, I'm sorry on behalf of us crappy humans."

"No need," Baxium assured him. "I know well enough there are good ones out there. And I can't say there are some races out there that I myself don't have particularly good feelings toward. I'd probably make them villains in my movies, too."

Baxium gave a pause as he continued thinking. "But it makes you wonder."

"Wonder what?" Ryan asked.

"I don't mean to get too personal, but it's been bothering me lately..."

"Well? Spill it," he encouraged.

Baxium sighed. "It's Mira. She hasn't shown any signs that she wants to move forward and I don't know what to do about it."

Confused, Ryan sought clarification before providing any advice. "You mean like... more intimate stuff or am I totally misunderstanding you?"

Baxium nodded. "Yeah, more intimate. I mean we kiss and are close, but that's it. She hasn't even tried to touch my frill or even commented on my horns, and all she does is hold my hand and sometimes kiss me. I don't know what I'm doing wrong or if she's not interested in me at all like that... Which I could understand, but I'd like to know, you know?"

With a lot of information to take in, Ryan needed to pause the movie while taking a drink from his beer. "Alright, wait. She hasn't tried to touch your _what_?"

"My frill," he repeated, pointing to the bony crown-like structure of his head. "It's not like it's _bad_ looking, and I think my chipped horn has character," he continued, gently touching the horn between his nostrils. There was at least a full inch of bone that had been broken off the side. "Should I get it filled in?"

Baxium looked at Ryan with a confused and vulnerable expression he hadn't been expecting. Though Ryan was a good friend of his, it was still awkward for him to think about Baxium doing anything intimate with another human being. On top of the initial awkwardness, Ryan had absolutely _no_ idea what Baxium was talking about. He knew he needed to approach this topic with caution.

"Look, B. You know things are different for humans and Triceratons, and it's the same thing with dating. As a human, I can tell you that it would _never_ occur to me to touch your frill or talk about your horns- if anything I'd think that was rude."

"Really?"

Ryan nodded assuredly. "Yeah. Typically, when we're ready to take it further we'll be more physical. Like, uh... more kissing and touching around the hips and back." As he spoke, Ryan made awkward movements to help Baxium visualize what he was talking about.

"I wouldn't have considered that," Baxium said thoughtfully. "But I can't kiss like you humans do. I mean, I can try, but it's very awkward."

"Everything about this is awkward," Ryan said with a laugh.

Baxium gave a chuckle. "Yeah, sorry about that. I just don't know how to let her know I'm interested in doing those things, but it's not easy for me to do..."

Ryan shrugged. "I mean, you could try literally telling her that."

Baxium thought for a second before the logic sunk in. "Would that not put her off?"

Ryan confidently shook his head. "No. Anyone who's mature enough to be in a relationship doing that stuff should be mature enough to _talk_ about it. Take it from a guy who knows."

Baxium took a drink and thought some more. "Thanks for your advice. I need to think about it more."

Ryan waved it off and grabbed the remote. "Don't worry about it man. Just do what feels right for you." He played the movie again and left Baxium to his thoughts.

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Please let me know what you think, and if you know who Ryan is! I see y'all reading but it'd be nice to know what you think, too. Reviews can be anonymous!


	13. Laundry Day

Time for some drama lmfao enjoy

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Responsible people will do their laundry at normal times as part of a weekday or weekend routine. Responsible people will allow for one or two loads to build up, separate colors and fabrics, and wash and dry according to the clothing needs.

There are many responsible people in this world, but focusing on them is boring. Instead, we're focusing on the lives around Mira and Ashley, as well as their upstairs neighbors, and not a single one of them is as responsible as one might think.

Saturday was a good day to get their laundry done, as most people in the complexes used the laundromat down the street on Sundays. Though it was a common chore for anyone to do, it was still odd that Raph and Mira would find themselves dragging their opaque bags of dirty laundry at the same time.

When they met on the stairs they looked at each other in surprise, then glanced at one another's bag.

"Laundry Day," Raph said with a nod before heading down the stairs.

"Hm," Mira agreed. While following him, she remembered their time spent together as kids. He had grown up a lot from that spunky little brat he once was, even if he was still short. For starters, his voice didn't need to be as deep as it was, and his shoulders were nearly popping out of the hoodie he was wearing. It reminded her a lot of Baxium's clothes.

As her thoughts glazed over how his hoodie was staying on while his shell remained exposed, they finally ended up outside, where he held the door open for her. She wondered if she hadn't been in a relationship already if she would have thought he'd be a possibility.

"Thanks," she said as she walked by.

"Are we goin to the same place?" he asked as he walked close to her. He didn't need to prove to Mikey or himself that he wasn't interested in her, but that didn't mean he needed to be rude. From what he remembered, the few times they worked together in school she was smart and funny, too.

"If you're following me then probably." Okay, not quite the tone she intended to have.

Alright, so she was still snarky, but so was he. "I wouldn't want ya to get lost." He smirked at her as he walked by, shrugging his shoulders.

Mira just rolled her eyes; he was still as annoying as ever. She figured she could forget about her earlier thought about being interested in him, but his confidence was something strange to her. Not that she was upset that he had it, she just didn't think he'd ever find any when they were kids.

"So how's it goin with you and Bax?" he asked as they continued to walk.

"Fine," she said simply, not feeling comfortable disclosing personal things with him yet.

He nodded and adjusted his grip on his laundry bag. "Me and Mikey got to hang out with him last week for a bit and he kept talkin about you."

"Really?" she questioned. She thought it was strange if Baxium really did talk to them about her, she was still questioning his purpose in their relationship. What if he wasn't saying good things? "What'd he say?"

Raph shrugged, spotting the laundromat as they got closer. "Just that you make him happy. Have you talked to him lately?"

Mira shook her head. "Not really." Truthfully, Baxium had been texting her good morning and good night each day, and it made her smile to know he was thinking about her. They were in the middle of a conversation through texts, but Raph didn't need to know all of that.

"You should talk to him. It's not my business to talk about really but I think he feels bad about something," Raph explained kind of awkwardly.

 _What could he feel bad about?_ Mira's thoughts immediately went to the worst places she could imagine; maybe he felt bad about leading her on? Maybe he was going to break up with her? Why would Raph even mention that? First Ashley and now Raph had unintentionally filled her mind with doubt.

Raph noticed the concern on her face as they walked in silence. "I think he misunderstood something... y'know, like a cultural thing."

"Great, thanks."

 _Well that went great, why don't ya just kick yourself in the head next time, it'd be quicker._ Raph thought to himself as he gripped his laundry bag and held open the door for her to go inside first.

Though there were others in the laundromat doing their thing, it was appropriately silent for the two to anxiously think the worst things about themselves. After putting in the coins to run her machine, Mira took out her phone to read through the texts between her and Baxium from that morning. Maybe something would give itself away to her.

 **Good morning!**

Normal.

 **Can we hang out tomorrow?**

A simple request she agreed to, but now wasn't sure about it's simplicity. Was he going to give her the worst news she'd heard all week, or would it just be a normal date for them? Would he try to talk to her about whatever Raph brought up?

She fought off the urge to bite her nails as she put her phone away and started the walk back to her apartment. Raph was close behind her as he tried to stop beating himself up over their earlier conversation. There was no need for him to bring it up again, but maybe he could un-do some of whatever damage he had done earlier.

As he walked faster to catch up to her, he had hoped enough time passed that he could lighten up the mood a bit more. "Mira," he started. He was next to her again and she was trying not to get too aggrivated with him. He had already ruined her day, what more did he want?

"Hey, forget what I said earlier, I shouldn't have even said anything. I really don't think you have anything to worry about. You guys are really good together."

"I think I've had enough of this conversation," she said simply.

 _Yeah, that's probably for the best,_ Raph thought to himself in defeat. He put his hands in his pockets and fell back a bit, giving her some of the space she needed. He resolved to just keep his mouth shut and leave her alone for the rest of the day. Though he did feel bad about upsetting her and worrying her about Baxium, he didn't think there was anything he could say to make things better. He could only leave their conversation in the silent awkwardness.

When Mira got back home, she plopped down on her couch and let her cat hop onto her lap. She mulled over all the posibilities of her upcoming date with Baxium and all the awful things that could happen. She couldn't stop thinking about it, and it really started to bring her down, to the point she no longer even wanted to see him.

Staring at her phone she remembered that she had never cancelled plans with him before. Would that just make everything worse? She knew by now he was too nice to break up with her over the phone, so if she never saw him again and never answered her door, then she'd probably never have to face him and then never have to deal with a break up.

As unrealistic as it sounded, it was a good plan until she figured out how to deal with everything.

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Anyway sorry to leave it on this note! Someone wanted it before I could post a happier chapter. Let me know what you think! Thanks!


	14. Forgive Me

I managed to finish this the same day! Yay! Let's see how things work out when Mira is forced to face Baxium after ignoring him for a few days...

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Days had passed since Mira started ghosting Baxium. She didn't intend to fully ghost him, and replied to some of his texts every now and then, but eventually he started to ask her why she was avoiding him and she didn't want to deal with that.

When she left the apartment, she was hoping she wouldn't see her turtle neighbors or Baxium. She continued to go to work and do necessary food shopping, but did her best to keep a low profile. Eventually, it even got on Ashley's nerves.

"You can't just avoid him forever you know. You've gotta go out with him again at some point, just get it over with!" she would say.

"That's easy for you to say," Mira would almost always respond. It wasn't like Ashley was in a relationship on the brink of collapse riding on just one meet up with her boyfriend. Sure, putting it off could be making things worse, but at least she didn't have to face it just yet.

"Mira, whatever happens you're never going to be ready for. Keeping him at arm's length is only going to make things worse for _you_ in the long run!"

She was right. Even though Mira knew for herself that she needed to face him, she didn't want to deal with the possible heartbreak. She enjoyed her relationship with Baxium and just didn't want him to leave her yet. Obviously, relationships either end or continue for the rest of one's life, and she didn't know what she wanted in the end, but she did know she wasn't ready to see the end just yet.

What Mira didn't know was that Baxium was stressing out about their relationship as well. Without her answering any of his texts, he was beginning to worry that he had really messed things up with her.

"I don't know what I did wrong, but she won't talk to me anymore," he compleined to Ryan one evening.

Ryan, cluelessly empathetic as he was, began offering possible ways Baxium had messed up. "There's the classic 'you're getting too clingy' reason that throws some girls off. From my experience, double- or more- texting isn't going to help you."

"But we often do that to one another," Baxium said.

"Okay... so probably not that. It's possible you said or did something to offend her. I mean do you ever say anything about how she looks or acts around you?"

"I do always tell her that I think she's pretty and enjoy her company. Should I be doing more?"

Ryan shook his head. "No, that's probably not it then."

They each thought for a moment before Baxium realized something they had previously talked about before. "Do you think I haven't been making the right moves? Could she want more than what I am giving her? Or less?"

Ryan could clearly see that Baxium was getting worked up over something that was probably nothing, but would be the best explanation for everything so far. "I don't know. Do you think she's ready to go there with you? It's possible she's getting bored I guess."

" _Bored?_ " Baxium repeated, looking down as his thoughts raced. "I wouldn't want her to think I'm boring."

"Or maybe you just aren't giving her enough attention," Ryan suggested.

"Like I'm neglecting her feelings?"

Ryan shrugged, causing Baxium to lean back in his seat with a sigh. "I don't believe this. I've got to make it right."

"You sure do care a lot," Ryan noted with a smile. "You didn't get this worked up about any of the other girls you've dated."

"Well, I mean... I feel like Mira lets me be myself, you know? If I'm not as aggressive as other guys she doesn't get upset about it. She loves flowers and used to ask _me_ to go do something with her. I feel like maybe she actually _wants_ to be with me and it's great because no one expects her to, you know?" Baxium smiled as he thought of all the times he had spent with Mira before frowning once again. "To think I messed it all up..."

Ryan patted him on his large shoulder. "It'll be alright man, just do what you feel you should."

Baxium nodded thoughtfully before giving his roommate a side hug. "Thanks, friend."

"Don't mention it," Ryan said with a laugh as he pushed his head out from under Baxium's arm.

Baxium took a breath in and resolved to find her the next day and fix things.

Mira knew that it was coming. Sooner or later she would have to see Baxium again and come face to face with whatever he had planned on talking to her about. She didn't quite account for how hurt he might have been at being given the silent treatment; so hurt, apparently, that he waited in front of her apartment for an hour until she finally came to face him. She could see him from a mile away and thought if she walked around other neighborhoods he'd give up and go home- but he remained on her steps like a rock.

He stood up when she approached, sheepishly and with anxiety coursing through her. "Mira, hey."

"Hi," she said quietly.

"I need to talk to you," he said. His voice was soft, but his word choice made it clear that he didn't want to wait. His word choice also sent Mira's anxiety into a frenzy and she struggled to keep herself under control.

"No we don't," she countered lightheartedly before malking past him and into her apartment.

"Mira, please wait," he pleaded. When she looked behind her she saw the saddest face he had ever had around her and it compelled her to do as he asked.

"We don't need to talk today, but I don't want to go a week without talking to you at all," he said.

Mira swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and threatened to come back up. "What is it?" she asked. She figured if he wanted to end things then and there, she was able to at least make a fast getaway to her apartment.

"I need to apologize," he said as Mira mentally prepared for the worst. "I didn't realize until only recently that I've been neglecting you."

 _Wait, what_? was all she could think to say as she watched him. He nervously grasped one hand with the other as he continued.

"There are things for you that are different as a human than for me, and I didn't realize that I haven't been giving you all the attention you need. I'm sorry, I promise I'll do better. Can you forgive me?" His eyes were pleading with her, even though he had no clear iris or pupils. She could feel him begging her for forgiveness she didn't even think he needed, and she was at a loss for words.

Baxium shuffled a little, nervously. "I understand if you're upset at me, but I hope I haven't just made things worse. I really enjoy being with you and if I ruined it all I'd... I don't know how I'd manage."

Mira had to take a moment to come back from the fear she had built up inside from the days of worrying about their relationship. He thought he hadn't been giving her enough attention? He spent so much of his time around her, holding her hand when he could and pressing his face agaisnt hers as his cute Triceraton way of kissing, how could he think he hadn't been giving her enough attention?

"What are you talking about?" she finally asked, unable to think of anything else to say.

Baxium was relieved she finally said something to him. "Well, because things are different for you. I mean, I can't really hold your hand comfortably and I didn't even think that touching your hair could be considered _rude_ , and I know I haven't really... y'know... made a lot of advances like you're probably accustomed to, and I feel like a fool for not even taking those differences into account. I'm really sorry." He gently took her hand in his own, pressing it against his mouth as she watched on, dumbfounded.

"Baxi," she started, pocketing her keys and taking his hands in her own. "I never thought you weren't giving me enough attention."

He looked at her, confused. "Really?"

She nodded. "Where'd you get that idea from?"

He shrugged as he stood back up, letting her hands return to her sides. "I guess I started to think the worst when you stopped replying to my texts. I thought I had really messed up."

"Oh," she said aloud. "That had nothing to do with you, Baxium I promise you that." Suddenly all she could think about was being pissed at Raphael all over again.

"Then what was wrong?" He turned and sat on the highest step, watching Mira as she thought of how to phrase what happened.

She just shrugged. "It's nothing. It doesn't matter now, anyway."

Mira sat down next to him with a smile, leaning against his big familiar arm. Her anxiety finally melted away and she felt comfortable with him again, grateful there had just been a misunderstanding between them both. "I'm sorry for ignoring you so much."

"Don't worry about it," he told her, smiling as he wrapped his arm around her. "I'm just glad we're alright. You really had me worried."

She just smiled to herself as she relaxed in his arm. "It won't happen again, I promise."

"Good." He leaned his head down to press his mouth against her head, mimicking a kissing sound. She giggled and moved closer to him.

"I like it when you do the face thing, you know. It's sweet."

He sat her up and rubbed his face enthusiastically against hers. "You mean like this?"

She cotinued to laugh, but made no movement away from him and instead wrapped her arms around his head and pressed her face against his. He laughed as they sat like that for a moment. Mira broke away with a kiss to his cheek and they sat on the steps as the sky began to change color and transition into night.

"I guess I should head home," Baxium said, though he made no movement to get up.

"You _could_ come in, you know," Mira told him. "I know it isn't the most comfortable of spaces for you, but you're welcome anytime."

He looked back at the door, then smiled at her. "I think I could manage it for a little while."

They both were all smiles as Mira led him into her apartment for the first time while completely sober. Ashley was still finishing up her shift at the restaurant she worked in and wouldn't be home for a few more hours. This gave the two plenty of time to cozy up to one another as they waited on their dinner to be delivered.

All was forgiven. At least, between the two of them.

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I think Raph might still be in trouble, though. What do you think? See you next time! :D


	15. Down Time

Okay so **fair warning!** This is literally just a whole bunch of fluff. Like. I cut open the most adorable and giant teddy bear and stuffed all the fluff into this chapter. It's very indulgent and might be redundant but just... let me have this. Thanks.

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Baxium sat on the ground in front of the couch as Mira sat with her legs over his shoulders and her arms around his head. Their empty food containers were gathered beside them on the floor and a random movie was playing on the television. Mira was completely enamored with Baxium's entire head and he laughed as she stroked his face.

"Are you having fun?" he asked, turning his head to look at her.

She smiled back at him and nodded. "Yes. Do you want me to stop?"

"No."

He leaned his head into her as she smooshed her face against his frill. She stared at his horns before noticing the one on his snout had a small piece missing. She reached out to touch it as she asked, "Have you always been missing a piece of your horn here?"

"Yeah."

"Huh, I never noticed it before."

"Oh." He gave a small nod as he watched her feel the small chunk missing from the front of his horn.

"Well, I mean you're so much taller than I am I don't think I coould even see it from down there," she reasoned. Baxium closed his eyes as her hands wandered up the side of his face and up to his frill. His head fell forward as she ran her fingers over each ridge from one side to another.

He hummed happily before bringing his own hands up to rub her back. As he tilted his head back again, Mira gently kissed the top of his head and hugged him once more. They sat like that for a good few minutes before the lock on the door clicked and Ashley walked in, clearly tired from her shift.

"Oh," she said when she looked at the happy couple cuddling in front of the couch. "Glad to see you back again, Bax."

He seemed a little disoriented as he waved to her. "Thanks."

"How was work?" Mira asked, her hands still on his frill as she sat up. Baxium placed his hands over hers and brought them back to his face.

"Fine, I'm just tired. I'm gonna shower and then go to bed," she said, giving Mira a wink as she disappeared down the hall. Mira felt her cheeks warm up, and then noticed Baxium's face was warm as well. She looked down to see him with his eyes closed again, wondering why he had moved her hands back to his face.

She hugged his face again, pressing her own against his frill. His hands found their way back to her back to feel her up and down once again.

"I like spending time like this," he told her as he squeezed her back in a strange backward hug. She smiled and squeezed his head in return.

"Me too."

They heard the shower start to run as Ashley had said, and Baxium took the opportunity to maneuver Mira around so she was sitting in his lap. She let out a yelp and held on to one of his arms as he swung her around a shoulder. When she was in his lap, she was facing him with her legs widely straddled around his. His hands rested on the small of her back and his snout was pressed against the tip of her small nose.

"Hi," she said as her hands rested on his upper arms.

He pulled away a little and smiled at her. "Hi."

"What're you doing?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"I just wanted to get a better look at ya," he said. He brought a hand up to her face to stroke her cheek with his thumb. Mira's head leaned into his hand and she closed her eyes. His warm embrace made her feel so safe and comfortable that she could just fall asleep on him as she was.

As for Baxium, he wanted to hold her all night and would have been fine with her hands all over him if she wanted to continue. He smiled as she watched her rest her head in his hand with her eyes closed. Gently, he touched his face against hers and they sat together like that until the bathroom door opened and Ashley walked back to her room.

"Are you staying over, Bax?" she asked from the hallway without revealing herself.

Baxium looked at Mira for any sign of what he should say and she just shrugged. "Uh... I don't know yet."

"Okay, well no pressure from me one way or the other, I was just curious. Goodnight y'all," she said before disappearing into her room.

"Goodnight," they replied before looking back to one another and sharing a short, silent laugh. Mira rested her head on his chest as his arms wrapped around her and held her in place. His chin rested on her head and they sat like that for a while before Baxium's hands began running up and down her back again.

Mira felt shivers run up her spine when he began to use his claws. Her back arched and she lifted her head to look at him in playful protest. He smiled at her and was met with an unexpected kiss on the mouth. Once again, he pressed his snout against her nose and ran his claws up her back. And once again, Mira made a noise of playful protest as her hands slid to his chest and balled into fists.

"You like that?" he asked quietly, a little too close to her ear. Her face immediately heated up and she felt inclined to bury her face into his chest. He gave a light laugh and brought his claws up her back once more, to her neck, until finally cupping the back of her head as she rested against him. She gave a satisfied hum when he began gently scratching the back of her head.

Bax lowered his head to nuzzle against her neck, which she reacted to once again. Mira tried to squeeze her chin to her shoulder to guard her sensitive neck, but he was already in there and giving her ticklish affection. While buried in her neck, he began talking which only tickled her more.

"I'd kiss you here if I could, but we both know it wouldn't work out very well."

Mira gave a giggle as she pressed her cheek against his face, and he quickly returned the gesture by nuzzling against her. "I was thinking about something earlier," he said, not moving from where he was pressed against her cheek, his hands returned to the small of her back.

"Hm?" she questioned, her eyes closed as his voice resonated next to her ear.

Baxium wanted to bring up the idea of going further with her since he felt they were in an intimate setting and mood, when would be a better time? But when it came to bringing it up he got cold feet and had to resort to saying the first thing that came to mind before the silence got awkward.

"You."

Mira laughed, thankfully. "You were just thinking of me?" she asked as she pulled away to look at him.

"Yeah," he said with a shy nod. "You."

She smiled and kissed his snout. "You're so cute."

"I'm glad you think so," Baxium said. "Though the same could be said about you, among other things." He gave a sly smile as he rubbed her back again.

"Oh?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," he started, seeing his chance. "I mean you're cute, you're beautiful, and dare I say... sexy," he finished with a smirk and a touch of his mouth to her forehead.

She felt her entire body heat up this time, but especially her cheeks. She hoped it wasn't clear how red she was from his words, but she didn't feel like complaining either.

"Oh shush," she said in an embarrassed tone, trying to hide her face.

"You gonna make me?" he asked with a challenging smirk.

Mira stared at him for a moment before glancing at the pillows on the seat behind him. "Can you give me one of those?"

To humor her, Baxium reached behind him and gave her one of the pillows. Mira thanked him before pressing the pillow against his snout and lifted herself from her knees to force him back a little.

He turned his head and started to laugh as she continued to try and suffocate him with the pillow- he knew she was just playing. In fact, he wanted to get a bit of play in, himself.

"Hey, you," he said as he grabbed her hip and started to tickle her sides. She pulled away with a cry and started wrigling in his arms as he continued to tickle her. When she made another attempt to get away, she went for the floor beside him, but miscalculated his actions as he followed after her and wound up on top of her instead.

"You messed up," he said through laughs, looking down at her as she stared back up at him.

"Oh no!" she said as she rolled back over to try and escape, but he held onto her hip as he brought his face down to her neck for more Triceraton kisses. She protested in her high pitched voice as she wriggled under his grasp.

"No!" she said through laughter and smiles. "Stop it!" She pushed against his face as his hand moved up to her shoulder. Feeling bold, Baxium gave a gentle bite to her neck before nuzzling her again.

"Hey," she said, more quiet but still in surprise. She closed her eyes as he nuzzled against her neck, not knowing what he was up to.

"Hm?" he asked as he stopped moving and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I'll stop if you want, sweetheart. I hope I didn't take that too far."

Mira collected herself and rolled back over to face him. She shook her head as if to say he didn't take it too far, and outstretched her arms to wrap around his thick neck. He accepted the embrace and rested his chin on her shoulder once again. "Good. I don't want to upset you."

"You haven't," she assured him.

He rolled over with her on top of him, to her surprise, but he just relaxed with his hands on her back. "Did you want me to stay tonight?"

"Do you want to stay?" she asked as she propped herself up on his chest with her elbows.

He smiled as his hand ran over her hair. "Wherever you are, I want to be."

She blushed at his words and just smiled as she dropped her head onto his chest in defeat. He was too cute for her. "Then you're welcome to stay."

His smile remained as his hands gently caressed her body. "Do you _want_ me to?"

"Hmm," she thought for a moment. "If you think you'll be comfortable, but I don't want you to have to hang off my bed again."

"What'd I say before? I want to stay with you, but only if you want me to," he repeated.

His bluntness gave her pause as she was forced to give him a straight answer. "Yes." Her sheepishness made him smile. Maybe she did want to be with him, but she was just too shy to go with it.

"Then I'll stay," he said happily. There was no need to rush her into something that had no urgency to it. He simply kissed her once again in the only way he could and remained with her on the floor until she was ready to go to bed.

Baxium never thought he'd feel so comfortable in such a small bed.

* * *

Heart eyes, motherfucker.


	16. Some Kind of Introspection

This one's just delving into our main(s)' thoughts at a current point in time... Still thinking about what the next chapter will hold. It's a short one, enjoy!

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Baxium sat awake in his bed a few nights later, thinking about Mira. She enjoyed talking about his best features, and touching him, but didn't seem to reciprocate his actions to go further. He was a little too shy at the time to bring it up, but he wanted to talk about it. He wanted to do more with her, but he didn't know how it would work. Mira really was much smaller than him, and already things were different between them in regards to how flirtation worked, so it was clear that they'd have to at least talk about it somewhat in order to go anywhere. But when would be a good time?

Baxium sighed as he stared at the ceiling, escaping into his thoughts about their relationship.

Only a few blocks away, Mira sat awake thinking back on the night that he stayed with her. She thought about the way his claws felt on her back and how safe and loved she felt when he pressed his face against hers. Her arms craved him and she held onto a pillow in his absence, wondering what compelled him to stay with her.

Her conversation with Ashley after he left also brought to her attention the fact that he may want to get more intimate soon, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for that. She didn't know for certain that he loved her like she wanted to be loved, nor did she feel confident in her ability to communicate with him about those things. Whenever she thought about it, she couldn't help but become a flustered mess. She buried her head in the pillow and closed her eyes, thinking about their relationship.

In the apartment above, Raph was caught up in his own thoughts. His family was planning on stopping by for dinner the next night and he didn't know what he was going to do. They finally had their table and most of their cheap furniture in the apartment, but things still didn't feel quite right. He was at a loss for what was missing since he had his independence, but was still able to see all the people he cared about most.

His mind brought back Mira. The last time he saw her, she had been let into the apartment by Mikey just so she could sock him on the arm for worrying her about her relationship. He tried to explain that it was a misunderstanding and he was just trying to help, but she wasn't having it. Raph didn't understand why it was bothering him so much that she seemed so upset at him, it's not like they were even good friends.

He sighed and covered his face with a pillow. For whatever reason, Raph just couldn't reason with himself or stop feeling so guilty about worrying her. He was actually _worried_ she hated him and wouldn't speak to him ever again. Why would he worry about that anyway? He hadn't seen her in almost 10 years and he got along just fine without her. But when he saw her again he couldn't help but feel kind of... happy. She saw her with Baxium and Ashley, smiling and happy, clearly not being held down by the shitty life he knew she was dealing with years ago.

To think he brought something negative back into her life was crushing him.

While their friends were being weighed down with important decisions and emotions they were trying to deal with, Ashley was sound asleep as her phone lit up with a gentle buzz next to her bed. Above her, Mikey stared at the words on his screen with a smile.

 _Goodnight._

Maybe he could start something good.

* * *

Let me know what you're thinking? Much appreciated!


	17. Dinner Gatherings

THIS CHAPTER IS A DOOZY! Almost 4,000 words. Here we get a little more of the guys plus some April and Casey, but not without the stars of the fic! c:

* * *

Mikey sat at the dinner table with his head in his hands while Raph was busy picking up his trash around the living room. Raph looked at him for a moment before dropping the bag and getting his attention. "What're you mopin about?"

Mikey sat up and tilted his head back so he was staring at the ceiling. "I dunno how to get Ashley to go out on a date with me."

"Have you tried asking her?" Raph asked with a roll of his eyes as he continued his chores.

"I can't just _ask_ her, it can't sound stupid." Mikey stared at his phone as an alert popped up, from Baxium.

 **Just ask her. It won't hurt.**

Mikey sighed and stared at his phone again.

"Mikey, you're the one that always knows about this stuff. I'm sure if you just ask her you'll get what you're lookin for. She didn't seem _un_ interested in you."

Mikey gave it some thought before sitting up and nodding. "Yeah, you're right. Okay, I got this."

"You got this," his brother replied with an exasperated expression. Raph dropped the bag off next to the door and walked off to the bathroom. "Clean off the table when you're done."

"Yeah..." Mikey replied absentmindedly, finishing up his text. He looked it over a few times before deciding to just try his luck and send it. "Couldn't hurt..."

 **Hey, wanna go out tomorrow?**

Now all he had to do was wait.

/

Baxium laughed as he put his phone away. "Who was that?" Mira asked curiously.

"Mikey's trying to ask Ashley out. He asked me how to do it since I'm with you, he's funny."

Mira shared a small laugh as she thought about how Ashley would respond. The two were holding hands as they walked back to his apartment. Pinks and oranges filled the sky as the sun set below the city's skyline. Mira was nervous as she walked with him, wondering what the evening would have in store for her. She didn't want to put him off, but she had many questions about how anything intimate worked with him, and her research online wasn't very fruitful.

She already knew that flirting involved contact with his frill and talking about his horns, which was oddly cute to her. His thumb caressed her soft hand as she continued to think, but it relaxed her. She rested her head on his arm as they walked along peacefully.

"What the hell?" someone commented as they walked past. "That's disgusting," they added with a spiteful emphasis, but continued walking. Baxium and Mira stopped and looked back before Mira was tugged along.

The person stopped walking and looked back at them. "Yeah, keep walking Triceraton _freak_!"

Mira turned around, and the person was lucky Baxium could hold her back with just one arm as she shouted back at him a string of profanities and insults.

"You're lucky he's holding me back you racist piece of shit!" she spat back at him. He sneered at her and continued walking along, but all she wanted to do was go after him.

"Mira, please," Baxium said softly, turning her back around with both hands to continue their walk. "You don't need to do that, It's fine."

"It's _not_ fine," she insisted, walking with him. "You can't just let people talk to you like that, Baxi."

He squeezed her hand while they continued walking. "Don't worry about me. I hear those things all the time but they hardly ever follow up. I've defended myself enough times to know when it's worth wasting my breath."

His apartment was in view with a small group of Triceratons in front of it. Baxium immediately let go of her hand and paused. "Mira," he said, almost ominously.

"What is it?" She looked at the group questionably before turning back to him.

"That's... my family," he said grimly. "I haven't told them about you yet, but I intend to. I guess I'll have to do it today, but if you wanted to go home first I understand."

He walked with her around a corner so they wouldn't be spotted as they talked. "Your family's here?" she asked, sounding a little disappointed. He had promised to cook her a nice dinner that they would eat together since Ryan was away with his family.

He nodded. "I didn't invite them, but even if I try to get them to go home, they'd see you and ask questions. I really did intend to tell them this week about us, cuz... well... I feel like we're getting more serious. And I like that! But I know they'll make kind of a fuss that I'm dating you and I wanted to make sure you were worth fussing over." He gave her a smile as his gentle hand touched her shoulder. "You're worth everything that could come my way, Mira."

His tone shifted from one of urgency to one of sensitivity and love, and she wasn't prepared for such a whirlwind of emotions from him. She gave him a smile and put a hand over his. "If you aren't ready for me to meet them, I'll go home Baxi. You don't need to worry about that."

Baxi gave her a small smile and put a hand to her cheek. "If you want to meet them, _I'm_ fine with that, sweetheart. I don't want them to ruin our night, I just want you to be prepared for it."

Mira felt herself blush at his words, but smiled and grasped his hand. "I can't say I'm ever going to be _prepared_ , but..."

He gave a small laugh and touched his snout to the top of her head. "Then let's go."

/

As Baxium and Mira approached his apartment, Mikey and Raph had just gotten their pizza order in and were getting the table and plates ready for company. It was the first time their family would visit them after having the whole place set up, and though they didn't feel a lot of pressure, they still wanted to let them know they were doing well for themselves.

The ringing of their bell signaled their visitors and Mikey eagerly piped up. "I'll get it!"

Raph nodded and started taking out some cups as Mikey ran down the stairs to greet their brothers, father, and Casey and April. Mikey hugged all of them and brought them upstairs, telling them all about the apartment and the pizza they had ordered.

When they stepped inside, Raph greeted his father with a hug and his brothers with a pat on the shoulders. Casey gave him a hard pat on the shell and a side hug with a loving noogie.

"Love what you've done with the place," Casey said as Raph shoved him off.

"I'm impressed," Leo said with a snarky expression. "Thought the place would look like a pig sty with you two living here alone."

"Thanks," he replied as he straightened out his shirt. "Love the confidence, bro. Pizza's there so help yourselves."

Mikey put an arm around Don's shoulders and started chatting his ear off about his job at the same pizza place they ordered from. "I got a pretty sweet discount on all of this."

Don smiled as they led the pizza line. "I'm glad you're doing well Mikey."

"I've been bugging ya for weeks now, right?" Casey said to Raph.

"Yeah, and you're finally here. Just try not to wreck our new table, will ya?" Raph replied.

Splinter smiled as he watched his youngest sons. Raph noticed his smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I can get your plate if you wanted to sit down, Sensei."

"I am fine, my son," he said, clasping Raph's arm with a smile. "I am so proud of you."

Sheepishly, Raph returned his smile. "Thanks, dad. Means a lot."

They continued talking and gathering their plates to sit at the table. It was a tight fit with all 7 of them, but they made it work, all with smiles.

/

" _What_?"

Baxium faced his parents while his brother stood off to the side. Mira proudly stood next to him, though she could barely fight off her shaking hands while surrounded by very large Triceratons. One of them clearly was unimpressed with her as Baxium's girlfriend, but his hold on her hand gave her the strength she needed to stand strong.

"I would have told you if you could have waited one more day, but you just wanted to show up out of nowhere, so, surprise!" Baxium replied.

"How long has this been going on?" the deep, disapproving voice of his father questioned.

"We're coming up on 3 months."

"And you were going to wait until _tomorrow_ to tell us?" his mother asked. Her voice would also be classified as deep, but other than that and her choice of clothing, Mira really couldn't tell the difference between their genders. She had no idea who the third Triceraton was, either.

"I wanted to make sure that I was serious about her before I told you," he said honestly. "So, I can tell you now with confidence that we _are_ serious, and I'm _not_ going to let you convince me not to be with her."

There was a silence as his mother and father looked at one another. His mother gave Mira a glance and lifted her head. "What did you say your name was?"

"Mira," she replied, a little less confidently than she would have liked.

"Mira."

His father now stared at her as well. "It must be scary to be under the scrutinization of two Triceratons for you."

She didn't know how to respond.

"What are you doing here?" Baxium asked. "Is everything alright?"

They looked back at him with the same looks they had just been giving Mira. "Yes, we just thought you would want to celebrate your brother's new job."

Baxium's mood lifted as he looked to his brother. "New job?"

The third Triceraton who had been silent until now grinned and nodded. "Yeah, you're lookin' at the new captain of Fleet Zech59."

Baxium let go of Mira's hand for the first time, stepping in front of her to embrace his brother. "Way to go, Minjeck!" he said as they let go, their hands clasped in a handshake.

"Thanks. But don't feel like you have to go out with us," he said with a look to their parents. "They were also gonna try to set you up with someone from my class."

"Yes, well, it's clear that's pointless now," his mother said.

"You got plans tonight?" his father asked, his expression unchanging.

Baxium nodded. "Yes, sir."

He gave a nod and put an arm around his wife. "Then we'll let you be."

"But, Khellar," she started.

"Our son is an adult. We told him what we came to tell him and we should respect his plans. Next time we'll call." Khellar looked at Baxium with a respectful nod.

"We'll call you anyway," his mother assured him. "To check up on you." Mira didn't miss the side-eye she received as his family left and said goodbye. There were no harsh words said to her or Baxium directly, and they were both grateful for that.

They entered his building with a sigh. "Sorry about that," Baxium said. "Barely even had any introductions..."

"It's fine," Mira replied reassuringly.

"I don't think they hate you at least," Baxium said lightheartedly.

Mira gave a knowing expression as she took the stairs behind him. "Or they were too polite to say anything to my face."

"Or that," he said with a nod.

Mira thought about how she stood and spoke to his parents, for the brief time she had to speak, and wondered if she did anything they'd consider impolite or strange. She then remembered her own family, wondering how they would respond to Baxium's.

Bax opened the door to his apartment, allowing her to go in first. "Welcome," he said with a smile. "Make yourself at home, I'll go ahead and start dinner."

"Okay," she said happily, removing her shoes and wandering into the living room.

"I'm gonna make some pasta, I hope I do okay. I know you'll be judging it pretty hard," he said with a laugh.

Mira smiled to herself and sat on the couch. "It's hard to fuck up pasta, it's the sauce you have to worry about."

"I also have some Bijjah here if you wanted to try it. It's just some meat and vegetables mixed in a Zanron and Eie sauce. In case you wanted to try something new." He gave her a wink and started working on the pasta. Mira glanced at the dish he was talking about and sneakily looked it up on her phone. She didn't want to seem rude, but she couldn't be sure if any of the Triceraton dishes would be poisonous to her tiny human body.

Though it appeared Zanron was made through a process she wouldn't be fond of, there were no reports of anything else being harmful to her. She got up to bravely try the new food presented to her.

"Oh, here, Ryan and I found out it goes best with tortillas," Baxium said as he plopped some down next to the bowl. "Tastes a little bitter, but it's good with the beef."

He stole a piece of the meat for himself and started gathering ingredients for the sauce. He knew well enough not to pull out any kind of sauce _jar_ around Mira. He had a lot to live up to with her Italian background, but he felt confident that he wouldn't fuck it up too bad.

/

"So Donnie, April, how are things going with your business?" Leo asked. The pizza was nearly gone as their night wound down.

Don and April shared a look and Don nodded for April to go ahead. "It's going really well. We're moving into our new location this weekend, and Donnie's getting a bigger lab to help with our prototype testing."

Don nodded. "It'll be a better space in case something goes _boom_." They shared a laugh as Mikey's phone went off.

"Oh!" He took it out and read the message on the screen. He seemed to slouch in disappointment at first, but smiled again before he started replying.

"Care to share with the class?" Raph asked.

"It's Ashley."

They all shared a look before returning their gaze to him. "Who's Ashley?"

"This girl upstairs he's tryin to date," Raph explained.

Mikey scoffed. "Not trying, dude, _dating_ officially."

"Wow, Mikey. Three weeks out of the sewer and you got yourself a girlfriend already?" Casey said with a laugh.

Mikey sat back with his hands behind his head. "What can I say? I'm irresistible."

"Did she only agree to one date?" Raph asked, unamused.

Mikey's cockiness lowered and he gave his brother a look. "Well yeah, but she'll go on more with me after that, trust bro."

"Your confidence is inspiring, Mikey," Leo said with a laugh.

As the conversation wound down, Casey and April looked at one another before nodding. Casey cleared his throat to get the attention of the others. "We uh, got a pretty big announcement," he started, taking April's hand.

With a smile, April finished. "I'm pregnant."

Only a second passed before the brothers all stood up in excitement and came around to hug them. Splinter joined them at a slower pace.

"It's about time!" Raph said happily. They had been trying to conceive since April's business started to take off and they realized they'd be able to financially support a family. It took them months of trying and a discouraging doctor's visit about a month prior before they finally succeeded. It was a huge moment for them all, as a big family.

"What're you gonna name it? You should name it after me!" Mikey said excitedly.

April laughed and shook her head. "We haven't even talked about names yet."

"We'll put yours on the list of possibilities," Casey assured him with a pat on the shoulder."

Splinter took April's hand in his own and smiled up at her. "I am so happy for you, April," he said. He embraced them both as the brothers completed the group hug around them. With the great news out in the open, they continued to eat, drink, and laugh with one another.

/

Baxium set down two plates of pasta on the table where Mira sat. Two wine glasses were filled and the lights were dim to set a mood. Mira smiled at him as he sat, finding his much larger portion of food humorous when compared to her own.

"It smells good," Mira said, her stomach grumbling despite the appetizer she had before.

"I hope it's as good as it smells," he said. "I tried following the recipe exactly and I made it earlier this week to practice..."

Mira couldn't help her smile as it formed on her face. "Wow, you're cute," she said with a small laugh before digging into her pasta.

Though the sauce didn't have a whole lot of flavor to it, the pasta was cooked perfectly and it wasn't terrible. Baxium was overjoyed to hear she liked it and happily ate and drank with her as they talked a little more about their families.

"My mom's a little... Well, she never even seems to like the women she sets me up with. So if she didn't seem like she liked you I wouldn't be too concerned," he explained.

"I'm happy your brother seems to have gotten promoted to a job he wanted," she noted.

Baxium smiled. "Yeah, he's wanted to be captain of his own fleet for a while. Actually, he's a higher rank than I am now."

"Is he older or younger than you?"

"Younger," he replied with a nod. "But only by a few years. Don't you have a little brother, too?"

She nodded. "Kind of. He's technically an adult now, but he is younger than me."

"What's your family like?" Baxium asked curiously.

Mira thought for a moment. It took her a minute to find the right words to describe them. "I... I don't want to say dysfunctional, but..." She stalled a bit more. "I dunno man, don't ask me that."

"Well, if I ever met them, what should I expect?"

"Yelling," she replied.

"Okay... What are your parents like? Would they like me, for instance?"

"They don't even like _me_ ," she replied with a laugh.

Her response caught him off guard and he took a sip of wine. He opened his mouth to say something more and Mira interrupted him.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. I mean, they don't live anywhere in the city so it's not like you'll meet them anytime soon," she explained.

Baxium could tell that she didn't want to talk anymore about her family, and opted to drop it for the time being. "That's fair. Sorry, if it bothered you to talk to them," he apologized.

Mira shook her head. "No, it's fine. I mean I love my family don't get me wrong, but they're exhausting and I don't exactly look forward to either one of us seeing them."

Baxium nodded and continued to eat. "I see."

Both of them worried that they had made the conversation awkward, and neither wanted to continue talking about their families. They continued to eat as the faint sounds of the city outside created some ambiance.

"You know, I think our families will be an obstacle to get over, but I sort of feel like we can do it. At least, when the time comes," Baxium said with a smile.

Mira looked at him curiously, unsure of what exactly he was talking about. "You think so?"

He nodded confidently. "Yeah. I don't think any kind of dysfunctional family could keep me away from you."

He reached across the table to take her hand, and the sudden romantic feeling made the blood rush to her cheeks. "Aw, Baxi..." she started, squeezing his hand as best she could. "Wow, you're being so sweet to me tonight."

"Well," he started with a shrug. "I think it's kinda special today."

His words felt ominous as Mira had no idea what on Earth he was talking about. "What's special?"

He squeezed her hand and leaned forward with a smile. He lowered his voice and spoke quietly, as if it was a secret just for them. "It's the first time I'm telling you that I love you."

Mira's entire existence froze at his words. He only slowly pulled away after she had a moment to process what he said. Mira was clearly shocked enough to stop moving completely, even her own breathing. Out of all the things she expected that night, this wasn't even on the list.

Baxium watched her for a moment as she just blinked and stared at him. "I... If you don't want to say it back there's no problem, sweetheart. I don't wanna pressure you but I wanted you to know how I feel..."

Mira's mind was brought back to her body and she was breathing again. At his apology she began to try and speak, though the words were falling out of her mouth like an alphabet soup. "No, it's... I, uh, you are..." She took a breath and finally found the words.

"I love you too," she replied quietly, her face as red as it could possibly be in her completely flustered state. She couldn't believe she heard those words come out of his mouth, and he never let go of her hand. Her heart raced as her breathing steadied, and she felt a warm surge of happiness she hadn't felt before, making her whole body tingly.

Baxium pressed her hand against his mouth, maintaining eye contact. His romantic gestures were keeping her flustered and quiet, her mind unable to fully deal with the love he was giving her.

They finished up their dinner and Baxium cleared the table, before he gathered her up in his arms and carried her to the couch. She giggled as he did so, playfully fighting him off before he sat down and started to nuzzle her face.

"We got the whole place to ourselves tonight," he told her. "We can do anything you want."

Mira cuddled up against his chest as he continued to hold her, feeling content and happy as she was. In the back of her mind she remembered his advances from a few nights ago that had gone almost totally unnoticed by her at the time. What _did_ she want to do...?

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you thought in the reviews! (Anonymous welcome!)


	18. Going Further, Taking Our Time

Just a little adult conversation that doesn't really go anywhere, then cuddling!

* * *

Baxium's hands rested on Mira's hips as she placed kisses on his thick neck. He could barely feel their gentle caress against his dark sienna skin, but enjoyed her contact. He didn't know what her actions meant, but he didn't feel like stopping her at all.

He turned his head to nuzzle against her neck, which tickled her in return and she squeezed her face against his. They shared a laugh and he continued to nuzzle against her neck while running a hand up her back.

She pulled away from him when she felt his other hand go toward her butt and gave him a look. "Hey, you," she said quietly.

He stopped and smiled back at her. "What?"

Mira laid against him when his hand returned to her hip and he considered giving up for the night. "Can I ask you something?"

"Hm?" she questioned, staying still against his chest.

He gave pause for a moment, wondering how best to breach the topic. "Do you not want to have sex with me?"

The question gave Mira the most flustered pause she had ever had. "Why would you say that?" she asked, almost urgently.

"Well," Baxium started awkwardly, "I've been trying to make advances and you just don't seem interested... Which is fine! I just... wanted to know."

The awkwardness grew thicker as the conversation progressed. Mira had absolutely no idea how to respond to his straightforward question and stayed quiet, unmoving.

"Like, if it's just too soon? I don't want to pressure you or something. And I know that me being a Triceraton is probably not helping things, either. So, I definitely get it if you don't want to even go there," he explained.

Mira closed her eyes as her cheeks grew red hot. "It's not that I _don't want to_... I mean, I don't wanna have this conversation because it's awkward... and _I'm_ awkward, and embarrassed, and shy... Which is the answer to your question really, I just... It's not you. It's not you," Mira rambled, and for a moment Baxium felt some relief mixed with curiosity. "I mean Jesus, have you seen yourself lately?"

He blinked and looked at her with an amused expression. She avoided eye contact. "That... that was supposed to be an inside thought."

Baxium simply smiled and wrapped his arms around her, shielding her from anyone's possible gaze. "Well as long as I'm not pressuring you into something- and something you don't even want- I'm happy to take my time."

His hand gently caressed her back as she sat against him, fermenting in her own flustered awkwardness. There was so much he didn't know about her still that she thought was important before taking those steps with someone, and she didn't know if she was ready to go into it yet.

Baxium filled the silence more with his words. "I don't want to keep making awkward advances if you don't want them, but I also don't want you to feel like I don't want you. Cuz I do, but I want you to be comfortable before anything else."

She laughed a little to herself. Would she ever be comfortable with that? Still, his sentiments were sweet and she did love how much he thought about her. She buried her head more in his chest and started to talk again. "I don't mind them."

"Hm?"

"I don't mind your advances," she said quietly. He could barely hear her, but understood what she said.

"Then I'll keep them up," he assured her. Though she felt awkward and flustered, she still found comfort in his caring arms that wrapped around her like a weighted blanket. She realized what she wanted to do with him that night.

"Baxi?" she asked as she unburied her head, her hair all over the place.

He smiled back at her. "Yeah?"

"Can we watch a movie?"

/

Baxium watched the credits roll as Mira slept lightly against his arm. She had curled up beside him in a blanket and started to doze off when the credits to their movie began rolling. He set the empty bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and his movements caused her to stir from her doze.

"What time is it?" she asked sleepily.

Baxium glanced at the clock then back to her adorable, sleepy, disheveled self. "It's half past 11."

"Oh."

He reached out a hand to straighten out her hair and she leaned into it approvingly. "Do you wanna go to bed?"

She closed her eyes with a small sigh, still leaning against his hand. "No, I'm a sleepy sheepy..."

With a quiet laugh to himself he removed his hand and helped her stand up. "Okay, baby, let's go to bed." He turned off the television and the lamp next to the couch. In the darkness, Mira froze while her eyes tried to adjust.

"Baxi, I can't see!"

Suddenly, she felt herself lifted up and placed in his arms all while still wrapped up in the blanket. Her arms weren't free to hold onto him, so she had to trust him not to drop her as he carried her back to his room. "I know this apartment like the back of my hand," he assured her. Before she knew it, she was gently placed on a bed, still surrounded by darkness. The only light was the little that peered through his curtains from the city outside.

"Did you wanna wear one of my shirts to bed or anything?" he asked as he turned on a light.

The room that surrounded her was fairly clean aside from a small pile of clothes against a wall, some books and papers strewn about the dresser, and some stray shoes- pretty standard. She looked back at him and smiled fondly before nodding with vigor.

He opened his closet and picked out a shirt he didn't need too often. "This one should do." He pulled out a dark red and black shirt with a Triceraton logo on the front. It looked like it might have been too small for him, but it was still massive for Mira- just like she wanted.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom while you put it on, okay?" He set it down on the bed and left, closing the door behind him.

When Mira picked the shirt up to compare it with her body, it was already clear that it'd be an off-the-shoulder neckline for her and reach well past her butt. Perfect. She placed her clothes in a neat pile on the floor next to the bed, wearing only his shirt and her panties. His bed was bigger than even a California King-sized bed. She could roll over a good four or five times before she reached the end- and she did exactly that. When Baxium knocked on the door to enter, she was sprawled out in the middle of the bed. Before he could come in, she hid underneath all of his massive, thick pillows in a silly and vain attempt to hide.

"Is it okay to come in?" he asked, slowly peering in from the other side of the door. After spying her trying to hide in his pillows he just entered with a smile and tossed his shirt and pants into the corner.

"Guess she just went home," he said as he sat on the edge of his bed. He spotted her clothes laying on the floor and reached over to pick up her bra. "Oh, but she left something for me!" He laid back on the bed and she watched as he stretched out her bra.

She leapt out from the pillows and grabbed for it with an incredulous, "Hey!"

He returned it with no fight but simply laughed. He grabbed her waist and pulled her onto him. "Gotcha."

"Oh no!" she cried out as she held onto his arms. He rolled onto his side and spooned her while nuzzling the back of her neck.

"I love you."

Her face turned red once again as she hid her face in his arms as he hugged her. "I love you too."

Together they cuddled under his big blankets in his big bed on his big pillows. Mira noted that he seemed much more comfortable without his arms and legs hanging off of the sides and she was happy to be with him in his loving arms, sleeping soundly.

* * *

Sometimes the hardest conversations are the ones you need the most!


	19. Togethers

Okay, so if you caught the last chapter 19 before I deleted it to post this one, the beginning is pretty much the same up until April gets a call from Donnie. I thought I took it a little to far with the drama it was a bit out of place and random... I've got something else dramatic planned anyway. I hope you enjoy this one! It's my longest chapter yet!

* * *

The next morning, Baxium awoke right before the sun began to rise over the buildings. Mira was curled up under his arm sleeping soundly. He watched her sleep for a moment, her calm breathing relaxing him and her warmth drawing him closer to her. He shifted slightly so he could hold her closer without moving her and she stirred lightly. Her eyes opened and lazily closed again as she drifted back off into sleep.

He smiled and closed his eyes once more.

Mira woke up under Baxium's arm. He was gently snoring next to her and she found it difficult to feel at peace given the previous night's conversation. Though she knew he said it was fine, she still felt like she had disappointed him and was a shitty girlfriend. If he was clearly wanting something from her, why couldn't she just give it to him?

She curled up under his arm in a self-conscious bubble. She wanted to go home so she wouldn't have to face him again. Why did he have to bring it up? Why couldn't she just be a normal kind of girl? Someone who could make him happy like he wanted? Was he happy with her now?

So many thoughts and questions filled her head- none of them pleasant.

Beside her, Baxium was slowly stirring from his sleep, his arm squeezing her to make sure she was still there next to him. With a hum, he woke up and smiled at her. With her back to him, he thought she was still asleep. He gently nuzzled her and stayed lying next to her, enjoying her company as the room lit up from the sunrise. The city was wide awake, but they weren't moving anytime soon.

/

Outside the old O'Neil Technology building, large trucks were gathered and being loaded with equipment. The building was being cleared out all Saturday and Sunday while the new building was being prepped for move in.

Donnie was making sure the equipment being moved out was well taken care of as April ran through her list of things to be done. She had an assistant working with her at the old building who copied down all the things that needed to be done so April could get things ready at the new building.

"Thanks, Min," April said after gathering her things. "I've got to meet Casey at the new location and make sure everything's ready for move in."

"You got it Mrs. O'Neil," Min replied. Min stood at about the same height as April, with jet black hair that framed her face and big, serious eyes. Min was of the planet D'Hoonib- one that the turtles knew well. April knew that she could count on her to get things done.

"Mrs. O'Neil, you sure you don't need someone to go with ya?" One of her employees asked.

She gave him a wave and continued on her way. "Thanks, I think I can manage the drive there. Let Donnie know I left when you see him."

He gave her a nod and left downstairs as she walked out to her car. April walked outside with her head held high as she prepared to leave this side of Brooklyn for good. She gave one last glance at the graffitied and ruined wall of her building's south side and pulled out of the parking lot with a terrible feeling in her chest. Suddenly, she heard a loud pop that could have been her tire, but she didn't want to risk getting back out of her car.

As she continued to drive away, nothing felt out of the ordinary and she drove just fine. When she glanced in her rearview mirror she saw three Grinkels watching her drive away. Her heart raced but she continued driving, not stopping for anything.

The Grinkels were a more aggressive population that made a home in Brooklyn, claiming several neighborhoods as "their territory" that O'Neil Tech just happened to move into. They felt entitled to the land they lived on due to how they lived on their own planet. Unfortunately, they were forced out by Rogue Federation that didn't want to take part in the intergalactic alliance. As the Rogue Federation spread its influence, more aliens sought refuge on Earth- whether they wanted to or not.

The resulting culture shock on all ends was practically ignored by local law enforcement unless serious crimes were being committed- property destruction not among those crimes. April didn't _want_ the police to be involved if it meant someone had been attacked or killed, so she found a suitable building in Queens that would hopefully be better for her employees, even if they had a longer commute.

/

As Baxium made breakfast, Mira lay in his bed staring at her phone. Ashley was on her way to work and let her know that she was going to go out that night with Mikey. Mira wanted to be happy for her, and through text she did tease her, but she still couldn't get out of her own head about her conversation with Baxium. He still thought she was asleep.

She gave a heavy sigh, turning off her phone and curling back up in bed. She really wished he hadn't ever brought it up.

The smell of cooking breakfast food made her stomach grumble. It was enough to inspire her to get out of bed and say good morning to him at least. She wasn't expecting him to seem so happy to see her as he gave her a hug and a good morning Triceraton kiss. He was almost finished with breakfast and wanted her to eat with him if she didn't have any plans.

"Ashley's working most of the day, so no. I don't really have anything planned."

"Great, then we can just have a lazy Saturday in- if that's okay with you." His smile and the look on his face made Mira feel conflicted. On one hand, she was so in love with him that his smile only pulled her in deeper, but on the other hand she still felt embarrassed about the night before. She wanted to apologize to him, even, for being broken and shy. But something told her he wouldn't have any of it anyway. She knew he'd tell her there really wasn't anything to apologize for, but it didn't stop her from feeling like there was.

She continued to fight off the lingering negative feelings even as they ate together and curled up on the couch. Baxium could tell that something was wrong, but after the disaster of the night before he wasn't sure if he should bring it up. He had already ruined her mood once that he didn't really want to do it again, but he hated leaving everything up to interpretation. The whole reason he brought it up was to avoid future awkwardness, but instead he just made things worse.

 _I guess dating humans is a little more trouble than I thought it was_ , he thought. He watched her as she sat in his arm, thinking hard to herself. _I really hope I didn't ruin anything between us... Ryan said I shouldn't be so forward but I didn't listen to him..._

He pulled her in close and let her head rest under his chin so there was no eye contact as he spoke. "I hope you're not feeling bad about yesterday," he said softly. "I didn't mean anything by it, really. I'm fine no matter how you feel, but I just wanted to know. I just hate not knowing what you're thinking... but I'm glad that I know now. And I hope you aren't feeling too weird by it."

Mira didn't know what to say. Was this just normal communication between two people in a relationship? She wasn't used to communicating in such an up front manner. Most of the conversations she was used to were rooted in heavy passive aggressiveness. How could he stand just being so up front about his feelings? The mere thought of it made her uncomfortable.

"Anyway, that's the last I'm gonna say about any of it until you bring it up, okay?"

Mira stayed still. She might have nodded, but she couldn't be sure. At least the rest of their afternoon wouldn't be so awkward.

/

Casey was waiting for her with bated breath in front of the new building, when she pulled in he was finally able to relax and went to greet her as soon as she parked.

"I really wish you had someone come with ya, I'm sure Donnie would've been happy to bring you here," he said.

"Donnie has important things to do Casey, everyone does. They wanted us out of there so we're leaving- why would they try anything?" she replied with a sigh.

Casey put his hands on her shoulders and looked in her eyes. "April, I love you babe and I'm worried about you. You got this whole company on your shoulders and ain't even lettin anyone help you. You got a lotta changes happenin right now and you gotta let me help you out more."

She gave him a smile, grateful he was so worried about her, but certain that it was unnecessary. "Thanks, Casey. I appreciate your help already but maybe I could use a little more..."

She felt the first round of nausea hit her for the day and tried to shake it off.

"Let's go inside and figure out all the arrangements."

"Good idea," she said with a smile, allowing him to walk with his arm around her as they entered the new building. In many ways it was better than the old one- particularly the large space for testing their prototypes.

As they exited the elevator and walked to what would soon be her office, her phone rang. It was Donnie. "Are you there?" he asked, referring to her arrival.

"Yes, Casey's here too, we're about to set up in my office and get to work."

Casey unlocked the door as they continued their conversation. "Oh good, I just wanted to check up on you. We're about done here, too. We'll get most of the trucks packed up before the night's over."

April smiled and set her case down on the desk. "Glad to hear everything's on track. Keep it up, Donnie."

"Will do, see ya tomorrow."

As she hung up, April relayed her happiness to Casey. "Everything's on schedule thanks to Donnie," she said with a smile. "I don't know what I'd do without him. Or you," she added as he walked closer to her and put his arms around her waist.

"You gotta give yourself more credit," Casey said as their foreheads touched. "You're the brains of this whole operation."

She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You keep me sane."

Casey picked her up and set her down on her new desk. "Whattaya say we commemorate your achievement before we get to work, huh?"

He smirked as he leaned in and she gently pushed him away. "Casey, not a good time or place," she said with an embarrassed laugh.

Casey gestured to the rest of the room and building. "April, there's no one else here! We'll never be alone in this building after tonight, and you could use some stress relief..."

April allowed him to come back in for some kissed as she looked out of her windows. "Well... I guess you have a point. But I'm already pregnant," she reminded him.

"And we don't have much longer before we can't do anything," he replied.

April smiled at him as he moved back in and she met him with a kiss. "Alright, you got me."

/fav tv show, fav animal, fav movie and genre, beer, snack food, candy, ice cream flavor, season,

"Hey Baxi," Mira asked, cuddling with him on his couch.

"Hm?"

"When's your birthday?"

"My birthday? May 30th. When's yours?"

"Not 'til September... Aw, wait I missed your birthday!" she complained, turning her body more so she was looking at him better.

He gave her a smile and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it, I'll have another one."

"What about your favorite color?" she continued to question.

"Are you just trying to find out all my favorites all in one night?" he asked amusedly. Mira just nodded, staring at him with big curious eyes.

"Well, my favorite color is yellow, and I like all kinds of music, long walks in the park, and a delicious meal with mostly meat in the main dish," he said as he looked at her. "What about you?"

"Well," Mira started without skipping a beat. "My favorite color is purple, I like any music with the like techno noise in it, I guess you'd call it EDM or happy hardcore. But I also still listen to some of the shitty high school music I liked when I was in high school, and my favorite food is fusilli." She finished with a nod and Baxium gave her a questioning look.

"What's fusilli?"

"Well, the fusilli my Nonna makes. It's handmade pasta that's like a firm, satisfyingly chewy, but not _overly_ chewy noodle that's like almost 3 inches long, and it's not just rolled out but you twist it too so that it's got like a little line. It's good."

Baxium smiled as he watched and listened to her explain fusilli. She talked with her hands, a habit she blamed on her Italian background. "I'd love to try some," he said with a nod. "It sounds really good the way you describe it."

Mira smiled and continued to think about all the questions she wanted to ask him. She had so much she wanted to know about him that it was hard to think of what to ask first. "Okay, what's your favorite season?"

Baxium had to think about that one for a moment. They continued to go back and fourth with their questions as the day went on. Before they knew it, Ryan came home for the first time since Mira had been there. She had no idea what to expect when she saw Ryan for the first time, but another human being wasn't something she really considered.

"Oh, Ryan! Welcome back," Baxium greeted, his arm still around Mira as Ryan removed his shoes. "Mira's here!"

Ryan looked back at him curiously. "Oh yeah?" He smiled when Mira peeked her head out, he was surprised to see how small she was compared to Baxium. "Hi Mira, nice to meet you finally."

He walked over to the couch to extend his hand to her. He had very dark hair with a burgundy tint and was a very tall man, even for a human. Mira shook his large hand and returned his smile. Maybe the apartment was just full of big, soft boys.

"How is your grandmother?" Baxium asked.

"She's doing alright," he said with a sigh. "Gettin up there, but she's still cooking and overly concerned with us, so I think she's good."

"That's good to hear. How about Angel?"

Ryan smirked and gave a little shake of his head. "Same as always, tryin' to take over the world."

They shared a short laugh as Mira watched, not knowing who any of the people they were talking about were. "Angel's my sister," Ryan explained. "She's out of the apartment like I am, but we go see our grandma regularly. She raised us since we were young."

"Oh," Mira replied thoughtfully.

"Well, don't mind me. I've got a little bit of paperwork to finish before Monday so I'll probably be in my room or at the table."

"Okay," Baxium and Mira replied before cuddling back up together on the couch. Though she felt a little awkward, Ryan's genuine warmth helped relieve some of it. She didn't feel incredibly awkward being so close to Bax while Ryan was home, and Bax definitely wasn't feeling awkward as he held her close and leaned toward her.

/

Ashley hurried home from the seafood restaurant she worked at, smelling like various typed of fish and fried foods. She'd be home by 4pm and barely have time to shower and get ready for the date she agreed to go on with Mikey. As the time crunch started to get to her, she began to wonder why she agreed to go out with him right after she finished a shift at work.

She ran up the stairs and into the apartment, immediately feeding the cat before stripping down and jumping into the shower. She felt an unnecessary amount of stress trying to get ready for a very low-pressure date. All he had suggested was grabbing a bite to eat and going for a walk.

After a few repetitive self-assurances, Ashley finally decided to just put on a big sweater, leggings, and fixed her hair into an updo. She took a breath and assured herself that whether the date went well or not, she wouldn't care. It was just one guy, one really confident and cute guy with a great sense of humor who lived right above her.

"Fuck this guy," she grumbled to herself, though she knew she didn't mean it. It was only 4:45 and Mikey wouldn't knock on her door for another hour.

"Stressed out for nothing, as usual," she said to herself before plopping onto the couch and taking a deep breath. "I hate dating."

/

Mikey walked home with a bit more of a skip in his step, feeling much less stressed about the date than Ashley was. He hadn't had recent experience with dating, but he knew the basics and was confident in his ability to charm just about anyone. He'd knock on her door, compliment her appearance, then walk her down to his favorite pizza place where they'd grab a cheap but delicious slice and eat while walking down to the nearby park. It wasn't a very big park, but it was still just the right amount of romantic for a first date with a timid lady.

With a big grin on his face, he knocked on the door to her apartment. He was dressed in his favorite basketball shorts and shirt, the more comfortable items of clothing he owned.

Inside, Ashley frantically put on her shoes and turned off all the lights she had on. "I'm coming!" She took a deep breath after grabbing her keys and opened the door after calming down. Her cheeks were already flushed with the mere thought of going on a date. It didn't help that Mikey was already smiling when he saw her.

"Hey Ashley, lookin good."

"Oh, thanks. You too," she said with a shy smile. "Where are we going?" she asked while closing the door.

"Just to one of my favorite pizza joints. One dollar slices," he said enticingly.

"Ooh, cheap date," she replied with a smile.

"Well, you know. Low key really."

Ashley shook her hand as they left the building. "I didn't mean anything by it! I live for one dollar pizza." _Great,_ she thought. _Insult him with the first thing you say_.

He just smiled and continued to lead her to the pizza place. "Who _doesn't_?"

She smiled shyly and followed beside him, thoughts racing through her head about what he was thinking and generally taking things too far in her head- as she does.

Despite her mind working against her, she was determined not to ruin the date with awkwardness or running her mouth. Mikey was a chill guy, he made her laugh, and if she remembered right, he was a good kisser.

"I'm glad we got to go out," he said as they walked with their pizza. "I was sorta hoping I'd get to know you a little better."

He just kept saying things Ashley didn't know how to reply to. His words were so genuine and kind that they caught her off guard. "Well, here we are!" she said with a smile, stepping a little closer to him.

The sun began to set as they entered the park, pizzas almost gone, talking about whatever came to mind.

/

"Alright, I think that does it for most of the planning," April said as she closed her laptop. Casey had dozed off in a chair in the corner but awoke at the sound of her laptop clicking shut.

"You're done?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes and stood up.

She turned to him and smiled. "Yeah, I'm done for the night. Gotta be back tomorrow morning though," she said. She looked up as Casey came to her.

"Good, so we can get home now," he said.

She stood up with a smile, taking his hand. "Yes, we can go home now."

They shared a kiss before packing up her things and heading out of the building. When they got home they'd unwind in bed together, thinking about their futures and all the plans they had yet to make.

As Casey and April wound down, Baxium carried Mira back home on his shoulders. Though she felt a little ridiculous, there weren't many people out around the neighborhood to see her sitting on the shoulders of an almost 8-foot tall Triceraton.

When they arrived at her apartment, Baxium lowered her down and gave her a gentle kiss to the forehead.

"Have a good night, love," he said as he held her hand.

"You too," she replied. Though part of her wanted him to come back inside with her, she knew it would still be a little too awkward for her to handle. "Text me when you're home safe."

"As always," he gave her another kiss before slowly turning around and walking home. She watched his massive form stroll down the sidewalk for a moment before she went inside to join Ashley in their bedtime routines.

"So how was your _date_?" Mira asked with a sly grin.

Ashley's nostrils flared as she hid her reddened face. "Fine, nothing special."

"Uh _huh_ ," Mira replied with a knowing look.

"Really! It was nothing. We had pizza and a walk and then we came back and that's it. The end."

"Wow, that sounds really cute," she said.

Ashley just brushed her off. "We probably won't even go out again."

"Why not?"

Ashley just shrugged. "I dunno, he's probably not interested after that."

"Did something happen?"

"No," Ashley began. "I just... I dunno. It's weird. Maybe it's just cuz I've never actually gone out with someone in a while."

Mira gave her a reassuring look. "Well, just don't sabotage yourself like you always do."

"Easier said than done," Ashley replied with a roll of her eyes. "Anyway, how was _your_ night?"

Mira gave her practically the same treatment she had just received. "It was fine..."

In their typical fashion they continued to doubt themselves while encouraging the other. It barely helped either one, but they at least went to bed considering the other might be right about giving their respective love interests a shot without being so hard on themselves.

* * *

What a long ass chapter... I'm glad it's done!


	20. Conversations

I'm back at it again! This one's literally just a couple of conversations, so. Yeah.

* * *

Wednesday afternoon, Baxium and Ryan were hanging out in their apartment when they heard an unexpected knock at their door. They looked at each other with confusion, clearly neither of them expecting company.

"I'll get it," Ryan said. When he opened the door a complete stranger stood in front of him. She gave him a smile.

"Hi, you must be Ryan," her voice was familiar to Baxium. "I'm Ashley, Mira's best friend. Is Baxium here?"

Ryan looked back at Baxium with wide eyes, wondering how badly he had to fuck up for his girlfriend's best friend to come looking for them. Baxium gave him a shrug and gestured for him to let her in. "Uh, yeah... Come on in."

"Thanks, I just wanted to talk to him."

Her continued smile was offputting to Ryan, who wanted to leave before he caught any of the coming roast. "I'm gonna head down to the store, let me know if you need anything," Ryan said as he put on his shoes.

Ashley was grateful for him leaving as she nervously thought of how to bring up what she wanted to talk to Baxium about. Baxium asked her to have a seat, knowing there wasn't anything recently he had done to warrant an angry best friend. When Ryan had left and Ashley sat down, she gave a small sigh.

"What's up?" he asked nervously. "Everything okay?"

She nodded, sitting nervously with her hands clenched together in her lap. "Everything's fine, I just need to talk to you."

"What is it?"

"It's about you and Mira. You guys are fine and everything's good, but you sort of fucked up a little bit."

Her words contradicted themselves and he was only more confused. "What do you mean? What'd I do?"

She shrugged. It wouldn't be easy to bring it up, so she figured she should just be straight with him. "Listen. If you want to sleep with Mira you're seriously going about it all. Wrong."

Baxium was taken aback, but she continued talking. "I know this is a weird conversation to have, but I think I can really help you out."

"Help... me do what? _Sleep with her_?"

Ashley nodded, avoiding eye contact. "Yes."

Baxium scratched his head while also avoiding eye contact. "...Why?"

She let out a frustrated sigh. "Do you not want my help? Cuz I think I have really valuable input to give you that could help you go further with her but if you aren't interested then-" as she started to stand up Baxium stopped her.

"No, wait, wait... What were you saying I fucked up?" With a sheepish expression he sat back in his chair.

Ashley gave him a look before averting her gaze to continue talking. "While I respect your ability to be bluntly honest about your feelings and discuss sex in a similar way, that isn't the way to approach it with Mira. Mira's uh..." she paused to think for a moment. "She's shy. And prefers action over talking."

Baxium thought for a moment. "So, what are you suggesting I do instead of _talking_ to her about it? That sounds... not right."

"You're misunderstanding me," Ashley started. "I'm not saying you can't like _get consent_ cuz that's absolutely necessary. What I'm saying is that when you haven't done it with her before you can't just outright tell her you want to have sex with her, you gotta be smooth with it."

"Explain, please. I still don't understand," he said with a shake of his head.

"Okay," Ashley started. "For instance, don't snuggle up to her and say, 'I want to have sex with you,' instead say something like 'I wanna get more comfortable,' and have your arm around her. You know, say stuff softly in her ear, caress her arm, oh! Grab her booty."

"What?"

"Grab her butt!" Ashley repeated. "You're her boyfriend and as her best friend in the whole world who talks to her about things like this I can tell you that you should grab her butt at least once."

"Wait, you've talked to her about having sex with me?"

Ashley closed her eyes and shook her head. "You're missing the point Bax. Sweet talk her, touch her butt, and just be more sensual instead of being all verbal all the time. Mira likes physical contact. You don't need to say anything until it's right before y'all are gonna do it. Like yeah, ask her if you can touch her tits or take off her bra and then make sure you get a confirmation that she _does_ wanna do it with you, but don't be upfront about it. It's not like you're trying to buy something in a store y'know."

Baxium nodded absentmindedly as he thought about it. "So I just... touch her a lot?"

Ashley nodded. "Yeah, touch her hips, her arms, her butt, her legs, scratch her head or something, just things that make her wanna be closer to you, then start getting more intimate until you gotta ask her if you can do something more."

"Okay," he said thoughtfully. "You're sure that's all I have to do? Cuz it's not really what I'm used to doing."

Ashley nodded. "I dunno how you typically treat sex, but for most humans I know it's more about intimacy and physicality. Communication is important and necessary, but you gotta be smooth with it. If there's something you wanna do tell her you wanna do it. Like, 'I wanna take your shirt off," in between kisses and if she encourages you to do it, then do it! You'll be fine and hopefully get _it_."

Ashley stood up, her cheeks red as she tried to fight off the embarrassment from talking to Baxium about it. He gave her a confused look. "You still didn't tell me why you came all this way to tell me that. Why are _you_ so worried about what we do?"

"Because she needs to get laid, Baxium," Ashley replied bluntly. "She needs to go to pound town with someone that genuinely cares about her, can be gentle with her, and won't be a huge asshole. And even though you're a giantass Triceraton that could kick my ass seven ways to Sunday, I'll still find a way to cut off your tail and shove it down your throat if you hurt her."

The sudden turn she took made his eyes grow wide and he awkwardly looked away from her. Out of all the times he had met Ashley, she never seemed like the threatening type. "Well, of course I'd never hurt her on purpose," he said.

Ashley nodded. "Good. I mean if it doesn't work out between you guys then it doesn't work out and that's life. But if you one-night-stand her or fuck her then never talk to her again, I will actually hurt you, got it?"

He nodded. He was at least two and a half times her size and seriously doubted she'd stand a chance against him, but he wasn't sure how dedicated she was to seeking revenge for a brokenhearted friend. At least she wasn't _completely_ unreasonable with her demands. "I understand Ashley. I'll take your advice into consideration. You _do_ know Mira better than I do."

"That's true," Ashley said. "But, that's really all I came over for. I just care a lot about her and I don't want her shyness to keep her from having the relationship she wants. Cuz I know she really does love you. It makes me happy for her."

Baxium smiled and stood up to see her to the door. "It means a lot to have approval from her best friend," he noted. "I really love her, too."

Ashley smiled at him with a nod. "Good. I like you Baxi, don't fuck this up alright? Let me know if you have any troubles I can help with."

He let out a small laugh before opening the door. "I'll be sure to do that. Get home safe, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks. See you around!" Ashley waved goodbye as she walked away.

/

While Ashley had her conversation with Baxium, Mira was on a walk with one of the dogs on her route. The route was close to her apartment and inadvertently occurred while Mikey began his stroll to work. Mira didn't even notice him until he called out to her and rushed up to pet the fat golden retriever on her leash.

"What're you doin here?" she asked him as he stood up, the dog trying to jump onto his plastron for more pets.

He gave a smile and gestured down the street. "I'm heading in to work. You should stop by for a slice later. And bring Ashley!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot you work at that pizza place," Mira mused.

"Yeah, don't think I don't know all the times you order pizza on the weekends when Ashley's working." He gave her a sly grin as she responded with offense.

"What I do drunk on the weekends in my apartment alone is none of your god damn business," Mira quickly replied with a finger pointed at him.

Mikey held up two hands and they continued walking. "Hey, I'm not judging! Just... making an observation."

"Like I said," Mira started. "What I do drunk on the weekends is my business."

They walked for a minute with the dog on Mira's leash trotting lazily in between them. "It's good to see you again after so long. I didn't think we'd ever see you again."

"Aww, that's cute," she said. "And, also foreboding..."

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno, the way you said that just kinda made it seem like one of us was gonna go off to war and die or something."

"Oh," he said with an amusedly uncomfortable expression. "Well I didn't mean I was thinkin about you every day or something, just that it was really surprising to see you again. In a good way, you know, you're looking good!"

"Was that supposed to be an outside thought?" she asked, watching as the dog stopped to sniff a fire hydrant before relieving himself on it.

"I just thought you should know is all. Don't worry, I know you have a boyfriend," he said with a smirk. "And even if I _could_ take him, I wouldn't want to."

"Okay what do you want?" Mira asked with a roll of her eyes.

"What?"

"Yeah okay. Whattaya want, money?"

Mikey put up his hands in defense. "Hey you got it all wrong, sister! I meant what I said."

"Uh-huh," Mira replied, unconvinced.

"But if you're offering," he said as he moved closer to her.

"I'm not."

Mikey took a step away and put his hands in his pockets. "Alright, but don't come to me if you're ever in need."

"Are _you_ in need?" she questioned.

"No," he said with a shrug. "Not financially at least." There was a pause as he thought for a moment. "Did Ashley say anything about our date the other night?"

Mira avoided showing any emotional response to his question, figuring he was just trying to get something out of her. "Well duh she said something to me, we only tell each other literally everything. That doesn't mean I'm gonna tell _you_ though."

"Aw c'mon," he complained, stopping outside his work. "At least tell me if I'm doing everything wrong."

"And why would I do that?" she asked, continuing to walk. Without much of a choice, he followed her.

"Because you want your best friend to be happy and she's really quiet so I have no idea what she's thinking at any given time."

"Nobody does really, she's just quiet when she doesn't know you," Mira explained. "If she's being overly quiet it's because she's uncomfortable." Upon seeing his look of concern she added, "but in the shy way, not the bad way, because she does really like you but that's all you're getting from me, no more freebies. Cough up if you want anything else."

Mikey felt hopeful again, but curiously continued their conversation before going into work. "Cough up _what_?"

"Something of value."

He thought for a moment as she stopped with the dog again. "Like dirt on Raph?"

"Tch, if you actually have something on him that's worth noting."

"I'll get back to you on that," Mikey said with a smile. "But I think I have something good." He started to head back to work as they said their goodbyes and Mira went on her way walking her dogs. It was a good, sunny day.

* * *

Beep boop.


	21. Smoke Breaks

Bad habits are hard to break...

* * *

"I really wish you'd stop smoking."

Baxium's words ran through Mira's head every time she put a cigarette in her mouth. With him around she didn't have to smoke as much as she was used to, which was already hardly at all. Still, sometimes it just felt better to have one.

She wasn't the only one she knew who smoked, either, Ashley did it more than she ever did, and it was sometimes concerning. At least Ashley was trying a little to ease up on the habit, but it wasn't an easy thing to do. Ashley went out for a smoke just the night before and it had only been a few days since the last one she had.

When she stood in the alley to light up, Mikey was approaching the apartment from work with a box of pizza in hand and a quarter of it gone. Ashley tried to stay inconspicuous, thinking he wouldn't notice her if she just stood still against the wall, but it didn't go quite her way.

"Ashley, are you smoking?" he asked curiously.

She lowered the cigarette and breathed out the smoke she had just inhaled, away from him. "Oh, yeah. I do sometimes."

"Why? You know those are like, really bad for you right?" Mikey leaned against the wall opposite of her, trying not to inhale the smoke.

"Yeah," she said simply. "Even the packaging tells you that," she added as she brought the cigarette back up.

"My brother smokes too, and we try to get him to stop," Mikey said, trailing off.

Ashley suddenly felt awkward and took another drag to buy some time. "Well, it _is_ a bad habit, but everyone has their vice."

"Huh," he replied taking another slice of pizza from the box to eat. "I dunno what mine is."

Ashley watched him as he ate the pizza, smirking. "How many boxes of pizza have you eaten today?"

"I dunno, this is probably my second," he replied thoughtfully. "Why? Want some?"

She shook her head before finishing her cigarette and putting it out. "I'm good. You going in?"

He closed the box and nodded. "Yeah, I'll go with you."

It was a strange twist of fate that the night after Mikey met up with Ashley while she was smoking Raphael would end up joining Mira in the alleyway for a smoke. They gave each other a look before Mira returned to her already lit cigarette and Raph lit up one of his own. There was still a bit of awkwardness from the misunderstanding that led to her ignoring Baxium for a few days.

They had seen each other smoking several times before so it was nothing new for them, but it was rare that they'd be smoking at exactly the same time. Raph noticed the box that was sticking out of her pocket and raised an eyebrow.

"Georgia slims?" he asked.

Mira glanced at her pocket then looked back at him with a disapproving look. "What if they are?"

"Nothin," he said before taking a drag.

"What are _you_ smoking then?"

He exhaled and shrugged. "Borough Brand."

She scoffed. "Yeah, you would."

He said no more as he continued smoking. A breeze blew by them and the streets drew quiet as their smoking session drew closer to its end. "How's it goin?" Raph asked finally, hoping to patch things up.

"Fine," she replied. Mira still wasn't sure what Raph's deal with her was. He would act friendly toward her but then always end up saying something really stupid. If it was his way of trying to befriend her, his approach could use some work.

"Good," he replied. And he was genuinely glad that things were alright with her, he just wished he was better with words. Maybe someday he'd be able to make things right again.

They finished their cigarettes together in a comfortable silence, allowing the chemicals to relax them. When it was time to go back inside, Raph held the door open for her but said nothing other than a 'goodnight' when they parted ways.

The rest of the night was quiet.


	22. The First Time

Well the time has finally come... the actual reason for the M rating. You've been warned! Like, the title of the chapter gives it away right?

Special thanks to LadyofBone for the review!

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"Babe, let me do that for you," Baxium said.

Mira pouted as she dropped her hands and slouched her shoulders. Baxium's hands returned to where hers had been and she closed her eyes. Suddenly, shivers ran down her spine, beginning from her scalp as he began running his claws through her hair. She hummed in pleasure and comfort while sitting on his lap in his living room.

He had dimmed the lights and placed candles around for them, and Mira felt relaxed, if not a bit guilty. It was the second time she had basically shut down his advances. Baxium was such a gentleman about it, it almost made her feel _worse_. She sighed, leaning back against him as his claws continued to tenderly massage her scalp.

"I'm sorry," she said with a pout, staring at the television.

"For what?" he asked, his hands both wrapping around her waist. "If you aren't ready to do anything it's fine, it's not going to make or break this relationship."

She sighed once more. "Thanks, but it's not that I _don't_ want to do it with you, cuz I actually do," she admitted.

Baxium gave her a confused look, though she couldn't see his face. "Then what's stopping you?"

She shrugged. There was so much she wished he could just know so she didn't have to explain it. Maybe some Triceraton technology could allow him to read her mind. But that would be far too easy.

"I get nervous," she started, not sure if it was an entirely accurate way of explaining things. Baxium listened without saying anything. "Past experiences with that kind of thing haven't exactly worked out for me." She continued avoiding eye contact as she tried to explain things to him.

A concerned look fell onto Baxium's face at her ominous words. "How do you mean?"

Her face began to heat with embarrassment, though it was for nothing cute. Her voice was so quiet, Baxium strained to hear her words. "It just... didn't go the way I would have liked."

He remained quiet and gave her a reassuring squeeze, hoping to encourage her to open up to him. "You can tell me, love."

She shrugged again, feeling her mood starting to return as she recalled the times she had trusted someone and lost it all in one night. It took moments for the words to come to her, but Baxium remained silent and encouraging. His warm embrace was one Mira came to trust after the months in which he could have done whatever he wanted and didn't.

"I've been taken advantage of before," she said so quietly, it was almost a whisper. Baxium heard. And as he held her fragile body in his muscular arms, gently reassuring her that things would be fine with a hand caressing her arm and face, he felt anger well up inside of him that he didn't expect.

"I see," he said. His brows were furrowed as he thought of the implications of her words. He didn't want to force her to talk about it if she didn't want to.

"I didn't expect it to happen. But it did. With people I trusted." She shook her head and fell silent, worried she had said too much to him.

Baxium's large hand returned to her cheek with reassuring caresses. "I would never do anything to hurt you, Mira. And I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything you don't want to just to make me happy. You already make me very happy," he explained as he brought his face to meet hers. He kept his face against her cheek until she pulled away and gave him a kiss.

"I trust you Baxi," she said sweetly. "You've had a lot of opportunities to do something and you haven't."

He realized when she said that how right she was, but it had never even occurred to him.

"Which is why I feel so bad that we haven't done anything even though I know I want to with you," she continued.

"Oh," he said as his arms wrapped around her waist again. "Well like I said there's no rush sweetheart. I want you to be comfortable and we can take our time," he explained before nuzzling against her face again.

Her arms wrapped around his snout and she closed her eyes. She knew she wouldn't be able to ever initiate something with him, and she wasn't sure how long he would be okay with not doing anything.

"But," he said as he gently pulled away. "If I can help you, you should tell me."

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "I mean if you wanted to try little things first and see how you feel about it then go from there," he suggested.

She thought for a moment, still unsure of what he meant exactly. "Like what?"

He gave it some thought before he spoke again. "Oh, like when you talk about bases? Right? It's like taking small steps until you get to se...er, you know?"

"Oh," she said as she thought about it herself. "I mean..."

"No?"

"I wouldn't be opposed to that," she said, finally looking at him. He returned her smile and gave her one of his Triceraton kisses. She returned his kiss with one of her own, and soon they were in a back and forth that would only be odd to someone watching from the outside. To Mira and Baxium, their kisses were the most romantic thing either had ever done.

In some effort to show she was still interested, Mira moved onto the couch, forcing Baxium to follow her and then end up above her as she rested against the side pillows. She looked up at him with expectant eyes and he gave her another one of his kisses. This time, however, she felt his snout against her neck, and soon felt gentle nips on her skin. She gave a quiet gasp at his bites and he stopped.

"Is that too much?" he asked, his voice soft and caring. Mira simply wrapped her arms around his neck and shook her head with a hummed 'no.'

Her arms encouraged him to return to her neck and continue giving her gentle bites, and that was exactly what he did. Her small hands ran down his arms, squeezing him at times until she ended on his forearms. Her head was turned to allow him easier access to her neck, and he wondered where he was supposed to take things from there.

He pulled away and Mira's eyes fluttered open. "Did you want to take this into the bedroom?" he asked. "We don't need to go any further, there's just more space for my arms there," he added with a sheepish smile.

Mira noticed that while he had one hand positioned perfectly next to her head, his other was bent at a weird angle to hold him up against the arm of the couch. It was difficult to hold in her amusement. She nodded and started to get up as he sat up on the couch. Before she could do anything, Mira was lifted in his arms and on her way into his bedroom where more candles awaited.

She wanted to mention the amount of candles he owned, but didn't want to kill the mood. She was laid gently on his bed as she had been several times in the past, and he smoothly moved above her to continue right where he left off on the couch. He was much more comfortable with the space his bed gave them, and she was happy to be against his large, soft pillows as he love-bit her neck.

After another minute or so of him just gently biting and even licking her neck, shoulders, and collar bone, Mira realized Baxium might not know where to go next. She had had time to consider how far she wanted to go with him tonight, and knew that as long as nothing felt off about him and her self-esteem didn't get the best of her, she wanted to go all the way. After all, she didn't shave and put on matching underwear for nothing.

Baxium pulled away as she started to kiss him and playfully bite him. He smiled, relieved she was doing something in return and he wasn't just making her feel awkward or weird. In a moment of courage, he placed a hand against her hip and rubbed her skin there with his thumb. His touch shot a fast wave of shivers through her body and she knew that she wanted more.

He was being so cautious and so gentle, giving her all the time she needed to say yes or no, and she was saying yes.

While Mira and Baxium were taking their time together, Ashley and Mikey were in a similar place together on her couch. Mikey's arms were around her with a hand dangerously daring to reach second base. A nonsense movie played in the background while Ashley straddled him, her lips kissing down his thick neck.

Mikey wondered how lucky he had to be to be in this position after knowing Ashley for only a couple of months, and dating less than half that time. Ashley wondered how far she really wanted to go with him, and wondered if it was worth the risk of him deciding he was done after just one night. All her doubts were countered with his touch, and as his hand slid under her shirt, she knew there was no going back if she let him get that far.

Ashley lifted her head and gave him a playful smile.

"What're you doin, handsy?" she asked as she wrapped her fingers around his wrist, his hand stopped on the small of her back as he looked back at her.

"What?" he asked with his goofy grin.

His smile melted away at the walls she had forced up over the years, but there was still one standing that could only be opened by her. Her grip on his wrist loosened as she lowered herself onto his plastron, going back in for a kiss.

When their lips met, her hand let go of his and returned to his shoulders, allowing him to continue trailing his hand up her back. Whatever happened, she would be happy it was with Mikey. The loveable jokester had a way of sneaking through her walls and making himself at home in her heart, and she wanted to stop forcing people out. After all, Mira had yelled at her plenty of times for self-sabotaging her relationships.

Mikey began trailing kisses down her neck, and she finally allowed herself to let go and join him in his advances.

Back in Baxium's apartment, Mira was now on top of him with a playful smile on her face. Baxium returned her smile with his hands teasing her inside her shirt.

"So how do I get this off you?" he teasingly asked as he tugged at her shirt.

She simply smiled at him and began to remove it herself, revealing a lacy red and black bra. "Like this," she said as she did so. Baxium's eyes went wide with surprise, but his hands returned to her hips and began running down and up her thighs.

"Oh, hello," he said with a grin.

She rested her hands on his chest as her arms squeezed her breasts together. "Hi," she replied with a smile. Inside, her nerves were going wild. She had no idea what to expect from him or how he would react to her naked body. So far at least, he was doing well.

"Wow," he said breathlessly as he brought his hands up her arms and slowly to her breasts. She nodded in allowance and took in a deep breath as his strange, large thumbs began to massage her through her bra.

Baxium slowly lowered his hands and gently squeezed her hips. "Wow, sorry," he started, flustered. "I didn't know what to expect."

Mira's smile quickly faded as all her worries came to the front of her mind. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, I'm just... a little flustered to be honest." His words brought a blush to her face. "I feel lucky to be here with you like this," he told her honestly as his hands ran back up her arms. "And I don't want to ruin it."

"Aww, Baxi..." Mira started with a small smile as she tilted her head. His hand came up to cup her cheek and she was taken away by his sincere smile. "I love you," she said simply, before moving back in to plant kisses all over his face and neck.

He laughed and turned his head as his hands ran up her bare back. Her soft warm skin felt like heaven under his fingertips. "I love you too, Mira." He continued to run his hands over her back as they shared kisses, heating up the room.

When Baxium ran a singular claw up her spine, Mira suddenly recalled a fact she learned about Triceratons when they started dating, and her hands found their way up to his frill. He felt her fingers run up his ribbed crown and his eyes shot open with surprise.

"Oh," he said deeply. "Hell-o." Mira yelped as he rolled her over so that he was back on top of her. With her cheeks burning red, Mira was given more love bites along her neck that seemed more _passionate_.

She gasped as she felt her own desire rising up at his touch. His huge hands were surprisingly soft against her own skin, and it encouraged her to accept his advances. She didn't need much encouragement though, only the assurance that he was attracted to her no matter what he saw underneath her clothing.

"I want you so badly," he said in her ear, his hand remaining firm on her hip. Though he didn't move it, she could tell where he wanted it to go.

Her hand found its way back up to his frill and she pulled him closer to her. His initial shock quickly faded when he felt her teeth on his neck. His throat vibrated as he gave a guttural groan and his hands began trailing up her body. She felt her back arch slightly at his touch and was more aroused by him than she had ever been before. The same could be said for Baxium.

While Mira and Baxium took their time together on his bed, Ashley and Mikey were laying in hers under the covers watching random videos on her phone. Mikey stole glances at her every now and then, feeling a bit awkward about earlier. Though he had high hopes for the night with her, he didn't want her to be uncomfortable.

He was happy to settle in with his arm around her and funny videos distracting them from the awkward air. He could get another chance.

The chance he hoped for was the very chance Baxium was getting only a few blocks away. Mira was nervous as she lay beneath him in only her underwear while Baxium was missing only his shirt. His reddish-orange skin never seemed so tantalizing to her, and still her mind was holding her back.

"You seem nervous," he noted as he lowered himself next to her, tossing his shirt aside. "If you want to stop here, we can, love." He gave her a reassuring smile and rested his arm across her body. Though his words were reassuring and gentle, Mira couldn't help but feel bad for the slow pace she was still setting so far into their relationship.

"I don't _want_ to stop," she started nervously while avoiding eye contact.

"Okay," he started. "So what _do_ you want?"

"Don't ask me to say that out loud," she grumbled.

"I just want to make sure we're on the same page, and you _do_ want this. Because we could stop here and just cuddle and I'd be cool with that-" he started rambling on and Mira shook her head at him with a smile. He shut up.

"We're on the same page," she assured him. "And if you keep talking you're gonna ruin it."

He looked at her with a curious expression before giving a flustered kind of look. "Right, sor-"

"I love you," she said as she pulled his face back to hers. "But you talk too much sometimes."

"Got it," he said quietly as he pressed his face against hers and started to bite her again. The soft moan she let out at his more aggressive approach added to the overall arousal he had already experienced. He wanted more of her, wanted his hands all over her, and that's just what she wanted, too.

Though it took them time, eventually they were rolling around together on the sheets, teeth and claws sinking into skin and moans and groans filling the candlelit room. When Mira was on top again, the adrenaline and arousal she felt gave her the confidence to sit up on him and slowly remove her bra.

Baxium watched with a smile on his face, his hands caressing her legs as she tossed her bra aside. Of all the horrible reactions she thought of and expected, she was unprepared to see him lick his lips and then pull her back down onto the bed. They both shared quiet laughs and moans as they undressed themselves and one another. When it came down to Baxium's underwear, Mira could already see how... _prepared_ he was. And how endowed...

She was only more nervous when she realized his size was proportional to the rest of his body. She wouldn't need to be prepared right away as he had other plans for her at first. She watched him in surprise as he lowered his head between her legs.

" _Oh_ ," she sighed as she nervously opened her legs for him. There was so much more for her to be nervous about in just that one place, and he was about to put his tongue there. Nervous as she was, she wasn't about to stop him.

His tongue sent intense waves of pleasure through her body, resulting in movements that she had no control over. Her hips grinded against his mouth, her back arched, and her hands grabbed whatever blanket was around to hold onto. He somehow continuously found just the right places to press his tongue against while also getting it farther in her than she ever thought possible for a _tongue_.

It didn't take long for her to climax against his face with his hands massaging her breasts as he did his tongue business. When she did, he felt her hips grind against his snout in a strangely arousing finish that only made him want her more.

He lifted his head and crawled up to meet her face with his own. Mira's breathing was heavy and her arms welcomed him to her. In a moment of love and passion, Mira attempted to wrap her legs around him before realizing that it meant his dick would be pressing against her lower stomach. She tried to ignore it as he nuzzled her and she kissed his neck. While her hands felt up all over his head and frill, his hands felt all over her sides and legs.

The nervousness Mira felt became subdued by her growing desire to have more of him. It didn't help that he continued to let out soft groans as they grew more passionate. The deep vibrations of his voice as he spoke to her signaled to her body that she should be ready for him.

"You ready, baby?" he said in her ear. She closed her eyes and her legs reflexively, but was in fact ready for him.

Slowly, she opened her legs for him, peeking at his size once more before closing her eyes again. It was difficult to see in the dim light, but the size was really the only thing that concerned her- as well as the condom he so expertly put on.

"Go slow," she said softly, almost in a whisper.

"I will," he replied, just as softly. Then she felt it, finally. His shaft pressed against her, begging for her to take him. Her back arched when he finally got it in, and she felt him slowly fill her just as he promised. The only pain was from the stretch, but it was so slight and it disappeared before he started to pull out.

"That alright?" he asked.

She nodded, her eyes closed and her back returning to the bed. "Mhmm..."

He smiled and lowered his face back next to her ear. "Good."

Her moans filled his room when he began moving again. Before long, his groaning joined her. Mira was grateful for his understanding and his slow pace, but once she was used to him, she wanted more. Her nails dug into his arms and she dragged them down to her, watching his face as he contemplated biting her once again in return. He did.

The moan that escaped from his bite aroused him even more, and she could almost feel him throbbing inside of her. She wanted more.

"Faster," she whispered, her nails digging into him once more. Baxium didn't need to be told twice. He followed her direction and was instantly rewarded with more of her moaning and scratching. He took more pleasure from the pain she gave than he would have thought, and she was clearly enjoying his biting.

 _Time to return the favor_ , he thought, still thrusting into her. He lifted his head and slowed his movement as he brought a claw to her jaw, gently dragging it down her chin and neck. He could see the pleasure she gained from it and as he picked up his pace once more, he pulled her up on top of him while he sat up on his knees.

Ryan knew that something was up when he opened the door to a candlelit living room. When he heard the moaning coming from Baxium's room he made the snap decision to leave and run whatever late night errands he could.

Mira found it difficult to maintain steady footing on the bed as she bobbed up and down, but didn't need to support herself much with Baxium's huge arms helping her move. When the waves of pleasure became more intense, his claws dug into her hips and her back which only added to her own pleasure.

They made love for nearly an hour together until Baxium finally finished and tired from all the action. Wax dripped onto the surfaces the candles were sat on, creating a decent pool of drying wax coated with hot wax around the room. Mira lay on top of him, both sweating and breathing heavily as they came down from the high of their time together.

"Wow," Baxium sighed, now gently caressing her back with his hand while the other absent-mindedly played with her hair.

She hummed happily in response and cuddled up to him, far too hot for covers.

He brushed hair from her face to see her laying on his chest with her eyes closed. He smiled and relaxed against his pillows. "Did you have as much fun as me?" he asked quietly.

Mira nodded her head. "Yes," she said simply.

"Good."

When they had finally caught their breath and cooled down, Baxium stood up to clean himself off and blow out the candles around the apartment. When he returned, Mira was laying in his bed on her phone.

From his bedroom, Ryan heard a surprised shriek when Baxium jumped her and began tickling her. "Stop!" she laughed as she pushed his hands off her.

He gave her a kiss and held her to him as they laid on their sides. "I love you, Mira."

She blushed for the millionth time that night and snuggled against him. "I love you too."

As Mira fell asleep in Baxium's arms, Ashley was already asleep in Mikey's, a nightgown on while he stayed in his boxers. The night ended peacefully and quietly before Raph returned home on his bike, alone. When he realized he was alone in the apartment, there was no loneliness following the realization. His night ended with a woman as well and though he was simply dropping her off after their date, he was confident things would continue to go well.

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	23. Brewing Storms

Well it's about time for another chapter! Sorry this one's short, but I'm trying to figure out where to take things from here. :] Enjoy!

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Mira awoke the next morning to Baxium's soft snoring and his big arm resting on top of her. The sun was coming through the windows but she didn't have anywhere to be, so she closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him. Between his snores, Baxium let out a pleased hum as he wrapped his arm tighter around her. They laid there peacefully for a few more hours.

Ashley awoke not much later than Mira, her back to Mikey who slept sprawled out on her mattress. He was snoring lightly and she heard him mumble about something before he continued to snore. She looked at his peaceful face and smiled to herself. He was patient with her, he didn't complain when she wanted to stop, and he was so damn cute when he was sleeping.

She turned over and shyly rested her head on his shoulder with an arm over his chest. He stirred for a moment, looked at her as she feigned being asleep, and wrapped his arms around her as well. She trusted him for the first time since she met him, she knew that he would be one of the good guys. She stretched her neck out and kissed him on his neck.

"Good morning," she said so quietly, her sleepy voice barely made a sound.

His eyes opened at her kiss and her words and he began running his hand through her hair. "Good morning," he repeated. Ashley continued testing the waters as the sun continued to rise, going back to kissing him on the neck while hoping he would reciprocate.

Mikey was confused by her actions, and while he wanted to reciprocate, didn't know where it would take them. "What're you doin?" he asked playfully, his hands sleepily wandering down to her hips and lower back.

She smiled sleepily as she propped herself up on her elbow. "Nothin... just seein if you're awake." She lowered her head and began kissing his neck again. This time, she just continued kissing downward until Mikey had an idea of where she was taking things.

"Ashley," he started, as though there was a question or statement to follow but it never came.

She looked up at him from his chest, her hair messed and covering half her face. "What? Do... you not want me to?" she asked. Her cheeks started to turn red as she anticipated his next question.

"Want you to _what_ , exactly?" He was feeling more awake as their encounter progressed, and so was she. She thought of anything she could say that wouldn't be blunt or put him off, but she was too tired to think of anything clever.

"I was gonna suck your dick," she said simply, gesturing to his crotch as if trying to lighten the awkward mood.

" _Oh._ " he said, surprised. "I mean I wouldn't stop you from doing that, but do you actually _want_ to?"

She just nodded, smiling a little at his response. He shrugged and gave her the okay, watching as she made her way between his legs. When she started tugging at his boxers the only two thoughts running through his mind were, _I wasn't expecting_ _ **this**_ and _holy shit this is actually happening_.

When Baxium woke up, he felt Mira's warm body in his arm and could smell her hair so close to his face. He remembered the events of the night before and softly ran his hand along her bare skin. He nearly fell asleep again as he caressed her skin and heard her quiet hums as she continued to snuggle into him.

He stopped, not wanting to wake her, and immediately thought to surprise her with breakfast just so he could see the look on her face when she wandered into the kitchen for food. When he tried pulling away and getting off the bed, however, she began to stir from her sleep.

"Shh, shh," he said quietly before he started to hum to her while still getting out of bed. He caressed the back of her head and quickly sent her back into dreamland as he hummed.

When he stood up and saw that she was still sleeping he was shocked that it actually worked, but then immediately grateful. He put on his boxers and left the bedroom to begin cooking breakfast, turning on the TV to the news for his daily intake.

Mikey meanwhile was still reeling from Ashley's choice to initiate something she hadn't been interested in just the night before. When he finished she crawled back up to start kissing his neck again. He, being the gentleman he was, happily kissed her but then turned her over so he was on top.

"My turn?" he asked with a smirk, tugging up at her nightgown. Ashley felt nervous butterflies build up in her stomach, and her face grew red as cherries, but his hand running up her leg encouraged her to nod. If he wanted to reciprocate, who was she to turn that down?

Her skin had never felt more sensitive than when he began touching her through her underwear. There was hardly any need for foreplay with how turned on she already was, but he still enjoyed the buildup. When he removed her panties, shivers shot up her legs and she almost clamped them shut on his head.

She closed her eyes and grabbed at her sheets when he felt her start to go down on her. She had a hard time staying quiet.

While still in her sleepy haze, Mira began smelling the ever-inviting scent of cooking bacon. Her eyes slowly opened and she realized Baxium was no longer in bed with her. It was strange, because typically any movement around her would wake her up. She heard the faint sound of the television and Baxium at work cooking, and she wanted to go out and join him.

Unfortunately, she didn't know if Ryan was around. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stretched while yawning. She looked around the room for her clothes and started putting on her underwear, but upon seeing his shirt from last night next to the bed she felt the desire to put it on and see how it fit.

The material was soft, and it smelled just like him. She let the neckline droop off her shoulder and stepped outside as the shirt reached to her knees. Ryan would certainly know what happened last night, but at least she was decent and comfortable.

The delicious smell of a home cooked breakfast only grew stronger as she stepped out of the hallway and into the living room. The TV was showing some news story she didn't catch. Baxium stood in the living room watching it intently, so she turned her gaze to the story before he even realized she was awake.

"...the threats. The Triceraton council is meeting currently to discuss how they will deal with this threat. More on this story as it develops." Before the screen cut to the next story Mira caught the headline at the bottom and the image of Homeworld next to the reporter. The headline read " _Threats of War For Triceraton Homeworld_."

"Oh, Mira," Baxium said, turning off the TV and walking over to her. He threw a hand towel over his shoulder and outstretched his arms to greet her. "How'd you sleep?" he asked with a smile, before kissing her head.

"I slept okay," she said quietly, still trying to wake up even as she mentally unpacked what she just saw on the news.

"Good," he said, kissing her again and rubbing her back. "I'm making breakfast, come eat."

She followed him into the dining area and sat as he placed eggs, bacon, and pancakes on plates for them to eat. Mira had trouble mentally figuring out what had gone on in the news story. "What was that about on the news?" she asked when he returned to the table. "It sounded serious."

"It is," he said honestly, avoiding eye contact while setting the table. "But we don't need to worry about it today," he added with a smile.

Mira's brows furrowed as she stared at her breakfast. "Are you sure?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes," he said, taking her hand in his own. "Just for today and we can talk about it tomorrow, okay?"

"Promise we'll talk about it?"

"Promise."

"Okay then, good." Mira still didn't feel good about the story or what it meant for her Triceraton soldier boyfriend, but if he didn't want to worry about it just yet, then neither did she.

They spent the day together enjoying one another's company. Baxium kissed her and held her more than he usually did, but Mira enjoyed every moment of it. They stayed inside for the most part, but Baxium requested a nice walk on their way to dinner. As they spent their day together, Mikey and Ashley wished they could spend the rest of their days together, but unfortunately both had to work. After cleaning themselves up, they kissed goodbye and got ready for their long weekend workdays.

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Reviews and favorites are always appreciated!


	24. Tomorrow

It's been a little while! Let me know what you think...

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Mira and Baxium both woke up before the sun rose. Neither wanted to wake up so early, so they both pretended to stay asleep. Though Mira wanted to know what was on the news, the feeling she had in her gut kept her curiosity from waking Baxium up.

But she couldn't go back to sleep.

Turning over, she saw Baxium's sleeping face. He exhaled through his nose as he pulled her closer to him, and she cuddled up to his broad chest. The warmth of his embrace wasn't enough to keep the bad feelings at bay, and she felt more and more like she should just leave and avoid the situation all together. She knew one way or another, though, it would just catch up to her.

She wiggled her way out of his arm, and Baxium watched with half-lidded eyes as she left the room. He sighed and rolled over to face the nightstand his phone was charging on. He opened his e-mail to re-read the message he had recieved from his father. Both he and his brother would be drafted should the threats against Homeworld become true. He knew his duty and had no intention of betraying his home, but he didn't know how to tell Mira. He wished he didn't have to.

Mira, meanwhile, sat on the couch staring out the window. Something was very wrong with Baxium, but she didn't know what. She gathered that Homeworld was in danger, but there was more to her boyfriend's behavior than him just being concerned. Would he have to leave to fight? Would he be out there on the front lines? She couldn't bear to think about anything more. She let out a gentle sigh and let herself fall into a laying position on the couch, just as Baxium walked in.

The room was dimly lit with the earliest sign of a rising sun, and Baxium was taken with how beautiful she looked simply laying there in his shirt. With a smile, he walked over. "Trouble sleeping?"

She avoided looking at him, scared that he would tell her what she wanted to know and scared that it wouldn't be what she wanted to hear. "Yeah, I guess..."

Baxium's smile faded as he realized what was really the matter. "Are you thinking about the news story from yesterday?"

Mira nodded. She wanted to steal a peek at a story on her phone the day before, but couldn't bring herself to do it when she had time alone. Now, she was too worried to even hear it from Baxium despite her raging curiosity.

"It _is_ technically tomorrow," Baxium said as he sat on the floor next to her. "I'll tell you now if you want."

"Is it anything good?"

"...Not really," Baxium said after a pause.

"Then I don't want to know." Mira rolled over and faced away from him. "At least not right now."

"I understand," he replied softly. They stayed that way for a moment, hoping for time to stay still as sunlight crept along the floor and furniture. The room was a brilliant and soft yellow when Baxium stood up, gently kissed Mira's head, and headed for the kitchen. The familiar sounds of him cooking gave Mira something else to focus on besides the looming doom she felt.

 _Threats of War for Triceraton Homeworld_

The headline flashed in her head again. Maybe it wasn't that big of a deal, maybe it was all a misunderstanding. Maybe Baxium would be okay. She sat up and watched Baxium as he cooked. The way he moved and sometimes swayed his hips in a little dance brought a smile to her face. She decided to join him in the kitchen.

"Whatcha cookin?" she asked as she peered around him.

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her. She giggled and gently pushed him away, but not before returning with a kiss of her own.

"Eggs and bacon."

"Ooh, yummy," she said with a smile before moving to take out some bread for toasting. "You can't have eggs without toast," she said to herself. Baxium watched her for a moment, his smile never fading until he turned back to the stove. He was still going to have to tell her.

They ate together in almost silence, though they were comfortably sitting on the couch with Mira resting against him. As their plates emptied, the foreboding feeling Mira had grew. Baxium placed his plate on the coffee table and waited until Mira did the same.

"Babe," he started, quietly.

"Yeah?" she asked, as nervous as she had ever been around him.

"About that news story..." Mira waited for him to continue. "I don't know a lot of the details, but I know that someone we used to trade with when the old Republic was in charge is making threats of war. That's what the story was about."

"...What does that mean for you?" She avoided looking at him as she anticipated his answer.

"I have to go," he said quietly. "I wish I could stay, but I can't. My brother's going, too."

" _Going?_ To do what, exactly?"

"To fight, if it comes down to it. I hope it doesn't, but that's my job. I can't leave Homeworld defenseless."

"You're not their _only_ defense, you know," Mira grumbled.

He smiled and held her closer to him. "I know, love. But it's my duty as a Triceraton. I can't bring shame to myself, my family, or my kind. Can you understand that?"

Mira closed her eyes to fight back any of the terrible emotions she was feeling. "I can. When are you leaving?" Baxium could hear the disappointment and sadness in her voice, and simultaneously he could feel his own heart breaking.

"Tomorrow."

" _Tomorrow?_ "

He nodded solemnly.

Mira choked back all of the feelings she was feeling. "They can't just take you out on such short notice," she argued.

"They can," he said. "It _is_ my job, after all. I'm like always on call."

It took her a moment to feel confident she wouldn't break down before she sat up on her knees and turned to face him. "You'd better be safe or I'll kill you," she threatened. Though the look on her face was determined, Baxium could see right through it to the pain and worry.

"I will be," he whispered as his hand cupped the back of her head. She collapsed on him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her into his lap. He kissed her and kissed her in a constant nuzzle that almost put her back to sleep. She squeezed him hard, as if the harder she squeezed, the longer he would be with her. Tears threatened to fall, but she faught them off for as long as she could while he was holding her.

"I'll come back, babe. I promise."

Mira remained as she was as his words sunk in. He knew by now that she didn't take promises lightly. The strength of his arms around her told her that he meant every word he said. They stayed like that for a long time, holding each other and allowing time to pass. They didn't move until they heard Ryan open his door to come out. They allowed themselves to fall into a more comfortable position as they continued cuddling on the couch. Though she was upset about Baxium leaving her, Mira wanted to spend as much time with him before he had to leave.

* * *

WELL THERE YOU GO THANKS FOR READING


	25. Raph's Sunday

So it's getting a bit dramatic but that's all good it's cool this is fine. Some of you shippers may love this chapter, but you won't love me for long. B)

* * *

As Mira and Baxium made breakfast the morning before Baxium was supposed to return to Homeworld, Raphael was slowly waking up to the sunlight entering his room. He spent a good bit of time staring out the window and scrolling through his phone before he decided to start his day.

He knocked on Mikey's door on his way to the kitchen. "Mikey, you here?"

He heard some rustling and a groan, and assumed it meant he wasn't ready to wake up yet. Raph shrugged it off and wandered into the kitchen to make himself some food. After their family visited, the apartment managed to fall back into a pigsty. Raph couldn't say it didn't bother him, but he couldn't be bothered to clean up all the time.

With a sandwich in hand, Raph turned on the TV to watch a bit of news before deciding on what to do with his day. From the table, his phone went off and he was curious to see who was contacting him. Just as he opened the text, the news story that flashed on screen was of the Triceraton trouble. For a moment, he ignored his text to learn more about what was going on.

"Triceraton soldiers stationed here on Earth are being called to return to Homeworld while the dispute is being sorted out. We still haven't recieved official word from either side on how they intend to settle things, or what started the whole ordeal, but we do know that the Genrochs have quite a history with the old Triceraton Republic."

"Huh." Raph continued watching with a disgruntled expression, wondering if he'd recognize anything on the screen. Another sound went off and drew his attention back to his phone. It was from Joi.

 _Hey, wanna grab lunch?_

Raph stared at the half-eaten sandwich in his hand and thought for a moment before finishing it as he texted her back.

 _Sure, the usual place?_

 _Sounds good. Meet me there in an hour._

An hour was surely enough time for him to work up more of an appetite. He glanced back up at the news and frowned before deciding to wake Mikey up. Mikey was just about to open his door when Raph started banging on the door. Mikey's surprised scream could be heard the floor above in Ashley's room.

"Nice," Raph said after Mikey opened the door while clutching his plastron.

"Dude, not cool."

"Wake up bonehead, have you heard the news?"

Mikey stretched as he gave his brother a confused look. "What news? Did you finally realize how much prettier I am?"

Raph rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "No, numbskull. The Triceratons might be going to war."

" _What_? With who?"

"No idea. But I'm bettin Traximus is already on his way back to Homeworld. I was gonna call him and see if he had any other news, but I thought you'd wanna know first." Raph took his phone out of his pocket and walked back into the living room with Mikey following him.

"I wanna know too," Mikey said as he turned to look at the TV. They had already moved on to another story. "It sounds serious. They haven't had to fight anyone for a few years now, right?" Mikey asked as he looked back at Raph who was already on the phone.

"Hey, Trax? I heard the news, are you gonna go back to Homeworld?"

Mikey tried to read Raph's expression as he talked to their friend.

"Tomorrow? That's short notice. ...Yeah, I guess that makes sense. So who's staying here? What do you think's gonna happen? ...Alright, just take care of yourself and let me know what's goin on."

"Oh, tell him I said hi!" Mikey blurted as he popped up next to Raph. Raph shoved him away by his face.

"Yeah, that was Mikey. I'll let everyone know what ya told me. Be careful, alright? Somethin doesn't feel right about this. ...Yeah, okay. Bye."

Mikey popped up again. "So? What's goin on? Does he know? Is he leaving tomorrow?"

Raph stood up and stretched. "He doesn't know much more that he can tell us. Apparently after the old Republic was dismantled, some of their old allies didn't like the new government and this is some kind of dramatic reaction. He's hoping it won't be a big deal."

"Do you think Baxium's gonna leave, too?"

"Huh, I hadn't thought of that." Raph looked back at his phone and contemplated texting Mira or Baxium to check on them. "I bet he'd heading out tomorrow with Traximus and the others. He's in their army right? Whatever they call it."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure too. I bet Mira's gonna get lonely with him gone," Mikey suggested, mostly innocently.

Raph smacked him upside his head and walked to his room. "Don't say stupid shit. I'm goin out."

"With Joi?" Mikey asked with a smirk. Raph waved him off before closing his door to get dressed. Mikey plopped down on the couch to start channel surfing on his day off. Raph never talked to him much about his dates with Joi, and he could never figure out how things were going between them.

When Raph was about to leave, Mikey tried bugging him again. "So what's the date this time?"

"Why are you so nosey? I never ask about you and Ashley," Raph grumbled.

"Well why don't you ever tell me anything? We live together but I feel like even Leo and Don know more about you than I do."

"Maybe cuz they aren't as annoying as you are."

"Fine, go live your secret life and don't confide in your best brother then." Mikey turned back to the TV with a pout.

With a roll of his eyes and a sigh, Raph stopped at the door. "What do you even want to know? It's just a date."

Mikey perked up again. "It's not _just_ a date Raph. This is your _fourth_ date, and you haven't even had her over yet! Are you getting cold feet? Or could it be you're holding out for someone else?"

Mikey's expression implied something Raph didn't want to think about or get into. "I'm leaving."

"Okay, but you're leaving your answer open to interpretation!" Mikey called back as he shut the door. He wasn't even sure he wanted to go out anymore, but it'd beat staying inside with Mikey all day.

Raph met Joi at the restaurant and bar on the street corner. They both thought it was too early to drink so they got some appetizers to enjoy with their beers. They clinked their glasses together and shared their first sip before letting out sighs that expressed all of their emotions of that week.

"So, what's been goin on?" Joi asked as she watched her terrapin friend.

He shrugged. "Nothin new really. Did you hear the news about Triceraton Homeworld? I just found out this morning."

"No, what's going on?"

Raph explained what he knew and how some of his closer friends would be involved in solving their problems. Joi listened intently and recognized every name he said. "Wait, isn't he dating your childhood friend? Mira?" she asked when he mentioned Baxium.

Joi watched as his expression changed. "Yeah. I bet they're spendin the whole day together before he has to go tomorrow." As he took a thoughtful drink, Joi side eyed him as she followed suit.

"I bet she's gonna miss him."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Hm," she said before their food dropped.

"What've you been up to?" Raph asked as they dug in.

"Oh," Joi started. "Well, I heard from an ex that he's in town for a judo competition. I was thinking about watching him get his ass beat." Her smirk was contagious and Raph chuckled.

"When's the competition?"

"Tomorrow, oddly enough."

"Oh," Raph said thoughtfully.

"Did... you wanna go with me?"

Raph had to think for a moment. "Tomorrow..."

Joi watched him for a good couple of minutes as he thought about it before she let out a sigh. "It's fine, Raphael. I know your friends are going off to potentially fight in a war, so I can't really complain if you don't wanna go watch some dude get beat up."

"Joi," Raph started, feeling like he was about to definitely mess up his chances with Joi. "I'm sorry, but you gotta understand this could be really serious for them."

"No, I get it," Joi said. "I can't really fault you for that, I'd do the same thing for my friends."

Raph felt his shoulders relax as she reassured him. He took another drink while she pulled more mozzerella sticks off of the plate in front of them.

"But I gotta know, Raph, seriously," she started, looking at him with piercing green eyes. "You're always concerned about Mira. I've never even met her, so how do you _really_ feel about her?"

Raph had to stop right as he was about to drink again. He slowly lowered his glass as he turned to look at her. "What're you talkin about?"

"You know what I'm talking about," she insisted before munching on her food.

Raph avoided eye contact as he tried to think about what she meant. Of course he _cared_ about Mira, she was one of his oldest friends and they had been through everything together. But why did Joi sound jealous?

"Mira's one of my closest friends. I mean we've known each other since we were kids. I don't get what the big deal is," he explained.

Joi just sighed. "Something just feels _different_ when you talk about her. Like you're a little too happy to think or talk about her."

"What're you talkin about?" The expression on his face was sincerely confused and Joi decided to just give up for the moment. She took his hand and smiled.

"Forget it, Raph." _He's clearly clueless. Maybe it isn't too late._ "We can go out together after you see your friends off."

Her warm hand on his with her assuring smile was contagious. He returned the smile with a nod. "Yeah, sure. Casey already said he'd cover for me at the shop."

"Good." She nodded before returning to her meal and Raph followed suit. Still, Joi couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Raph. Something she hadn't noticed until the last time he had brought up Mira around her. She eyed him, wondering what his true feelings were and if he just hadn't realized them for himself yet.

As they parted ways, Joi gave him a kiss and lingered close to him, her hands on his arms. "Text me tomorrow, okay? Or I'll be mad."

Raph smirked as his arms wrapped around her waist. "Oh don't worry, " he started as he squeezed her. "I'll text ya as soon as I leave."

"Good." With one more peck, she parted ways with him and they each returned to their homes. With Mikey nowhere in sight, Raph was free to watch whatever he wanted as the day went by.

Curiously, he would glance at his phone. The very next day some of his closest friends would be potentially sent off to war and he would, potentially, never see them again. He could barely stand thinking about not seeing his _friends_ , and he couldn't imagine how Mira would feel about her boyfriend being sent off that way.

He sighed and sunk into his seat.

While cuddling close to Baxium and getting closer by the minute, Mira heard her phone go off. When she opened the text from Raph it simply read, "You doin okay?"

* * *

Let me know what you think!


	26. Goodbyes

Here we go! It was hard to write this emotionally, but I hope it works out for the readers! Enjoy! (And maybe have a box of tissues nearby...)

* * *

Mira held onto Baxium as soon as he shut off his alarm. It was far too early for him to be waking up, but he hadn't packed his things the night before and it needed to be done early. "Five more minutes," Mira grumbled. He felt her squeezing him and could only smile as he wrapped his arms around her bare body.

"I think I can do five more minutes," he agreed as he kissed the top of her head. Neither could think too much about what would be happening in only a few hours time or they'd have a tear fest on their hands.

It wasn't long before his second alarm went off and urged him to leave the warm embrace of his lover. Her protests made it hard to get out of bed, but his duty could not wait. "I'm sorry, love, I gotta pack."

"I know," she sighed as she watched him leave the bed. She covered herself with the blanket and fought off the drowsiness from her very few hours of sleep. Neither one knew what to say in their short time left with one another, they simply just wanted to stay close together in the safety of his bed.

The base where most Triceratons were leaving from was packed with people who were saying goodbye to their friends and loved ones. Baxium found his brother and family waiting, and not far from them were Traximus and the turtles.

"Oh, I see you're still with your human girlfriend?" Baxium's father greeted. "How nice of you to see our son off."

" _Khellar_ ," Baxium's mother interrupted as she nudged him with her elbow. "Apologies, Mira, he's a bit grumpy today."

"Of course I am!" he responded. "Those Federation wannabes are trying to intimidate _us_! Triceratons! And we're sending our boys away to fight in a pointless battle over _nothing_. The least they could do is give us more warning."

Minjeck looked at his brother with a concerned expression. "Don't you think it's weird that they're trying to get us all up there so soon? I mean _I'm_ not gonna go against orders or anything, but this is a good way to get us all in one place."

"And we're not the only ones who think so," Khellar added on. "There are plenty of others saying the same thing, and even more are saying that they won't go until there have been attacks. This all seems pointless right now."

"Well surely, they aren't calling for every Triceraton soldier on Earth," Baxium replied. "There are a lot of us stationed in the city, so I can see how it would seem like a lot of us being called back, but if it's only the New York factions then I'm not sure your concerns are necessary. Besides, our own commanding officers are not so foolish as to have us conveniently in one location without a plan or high security."

"You may be right, but something still feels off about the timing of all of this," Baxium's mother, Jinux added.

"Well, if Traximus hasn't said anything yet, I'm not going to be worried," Baxium said, nodding to the ambassador.

Mira wasn't so sure about the timing either, though she didn't feel confident enough to join in the conversation. She noticed Raph and Traximus talking in the distance and felt the urge to join them. Though she didn't want to leave Baxium until he was going off into space, she felt out of place with his family.

"Whatever is going on," Jinux said as she brought her hands up to the faces of her sons. "Stay safe, and come home soon."

Mira couldn't help but smile at her display of motherly affection. It wasn't something one witnessed very often, Triceratons being so affectionate. But then again, Baxium was just as affectionate with her.

"We will, mom," Minjeck said, smiling though he pushed her away. Baxium returned her affection with a one-armed hug.

"We will return before long," Baxium said. "I'm sure this will just be an excuse to get us to do more training anyway."

"I just worry about you boys, just like I worried about your father during his time serving," she continued as she returned to Khellar's side.

"They'll be fine, Jin, they'll come home before we know it and the Triceraton army will look like idiots to the rest of the universe."

Jinux hit his arm and they continued to argue about what was going on as Baxium turned to Mira.

"Sorry, you know how they can be by now," he said quietly as he pulled her into a hug with a big hand on her back.

Mira giggled as she felt his breath on her neck. "It's fine," she replied as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I feel the same way, though. You better come back safe and sound."

Baxium pulled away with a reassuring smile. "Of course, love. I'll be home in no time."

"Good. Cuz I'm gonna worry about you until I see you back on this planet in one piece," Mira said firmly.

Baxium smiled as an announcement played overhead, prompting the soldiers to make their way to their aircrafts.

"Well, off you go then," Khellar instructed, wrapping an arm around Minjeck as Baxium embraced Mira one last time.

"I love you," Baxium said softly in Mira's ear, nuzzling her one last time.

"I love you too," she replied, fighting back the tears in her eyes as she kissed him.

Baxium's family watched as they finished their strange display of affection and Baxium turned to embrace his parents.

"We'll be home soon, right Minjeck?"

"Right." Minjeck nodded with a smile and the brothers said their final goodbyes before heading to their stations.

As Mira was left alone with his family, she wiped her eyes before anyone could notice she was crying. She just watched Baxium leave with his brother.

"You do really love our son, don't you Mira?" Jinux asked with a small smile.

Mira blushed heavily as she glanced at her. She nodded in confirmation, but didn't feel like talking much.

"I have never seen him so happy with someone," she added. "I hope you are just as happy."

Khellar agreed with a firm nod. "Even though you're no Triceraton, I have never seen him as happy with anyone else. You had better be waiting for him with us when he returns," he added with another nod.

"Of course," Mira said. Baxium's parents nodded, satisfied with her response. They turned to watch as their sons stood waiting to board their designated aircrafts.

Mira jumped as a hand clamped onto her shoulder. When she turned to the source, she saw Raph standing next to her. "How ya doin?" he asked, glancing at her before turning back to where Traximus was boarding.

She sighed, shaking off his hand. "My boyfriend is going off to potentially fight in a war, and there's so much about this that's suspicious, so, you know. I'm okay all things considered." She wiped her eyes again as more tears threatened to fall.

Raph nodded as he put his hands into his jacket pockets. "Yeah, Traximus couldn't tell me much but it _is_ a little weird everyone's being called off like this." He looked at her face, seeing the worry though she tried to hide it. "But don't worry. Everyone's on high alert and Traximus won't let anything happen to these guys."

"Yeah," Mira said absentmindedly as she watched Baxium disappear into the aircraft. Her heart ached as though there was a short string connecting them and the distance between them was growing too great to manage. She wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the door, hoping he would come back out.

"Mira," Baxium's mother said as a large, gentle hand was placed on her back. Mira turned to look at her, surprised. "We're going to meet up with friends, but don't hesitate to contact me if you need to." As Jinux handed her a paper, Mira looked at the phone number written down. Jinux was already heading to another place in the crowd with her husband when she looked back up.

"Nice folks, huh?" Raph asked. Mira looked back at the paper and put it in her pocket as she nodded.

Raph stood with her as the aircraft doors closed, and the engines turned on. Guards began pushing the civilians back as the aircrafts prepared to take off. Without Baxium's parents nearby, Mira welcomed Raph's comforting hand around her shoulders. She continued to fight back the tears that threatened to fall as the aircrafts began taking off, one by one.

Mira didn't expect to feel so much emotion as Baxium was pulled away from her, but as the string that connected them strained and stretched, the tears fell fast and quietly.

Raph pulled her into an embrace when he noticed her crying, though he knew she'd hate if he said anything about it. She continued to hide her face in his jacket as the sounds of aircrafts faded into the sky.

"C'mon," Raph said as the crowd began clearing out. "I'll take ya home."

While Raph and Mira cleared out of the crowd, Baxium sat across from his brother as they prepared to enter Homeworld for the first time in a while. "You gonna miss her?" Minjeck asked.

Baxium smiled. "Yeah," he said with a nod. "More than you know."

"I really didn't think you'd get so serious with this one," his brother continued. "What makes her so special?"

Baxium shrugged. "It's hard to explain... She understands me in more ways than anyone's ever tried to before, you know? The things about us that make us different don't feel like problems, or stuff to overcome. It feels like when you put a bunch of different ingredients into something and instead of being weird or inedible, its the most delicious thing you've ever eaten. ...Did that make sense?" he looked up at his brother, who was trying to process what he was just told.

"I think so... Why do you always have to explain things with food references?"

"I thought it was beautiful," the Triceraton sitting beside Baxium chimed in with a laugh. "Where'd you find that, the rejection pile of Hallmark Cards?"

Baxium and Minjeck made eye contact before Baxium rolled his eyes. "You got me."

As the others continued talking and joking, Baxium stared at his hands, recalling how only hours before Mira's hands were joined with them. He'd be home soon, he knew it. He just didn't want to wait.

* * *

Well! You're welcome!


	27. I Miss You

It's time to understand just how attached one can be to the love of their life...

* * *

Mira woke up at about 3:17 in the morning. She had been waking up and falling asleep off and on while clutching one of Baxium's shirts she had stolen from his closet, unable to completely rest as she worried herself with what could be going on on Homeworld. From the silence of the news and her phone, she guessed nothing bad had happened on their way there, but she had no idea what Baxium could be doing right now.

As she stared at the ceiling, her eyes freshly dried from tears, she gave up on thinking she could ever sleep without knowing he was safe. As much as she hated it, she just grabbed her phone and opened up apps to help take her mind off of everything.

When the sun came up, Mira's eyes were sore and she was finally exhausted enough to reconsider sleeping as an option. Just as she put her phone away to try, it vibrated.

All the exhaustion left her body in a snap as soon as she saw the name attached to the message- Baxium.

 _Hey sweetheart, just wanted to tell you everything's fine here. I can't talk about what's going on, but I knew you'd be worrying about me. I hope I'm not waking you. I love you very very much, and I can't wait to come back home to you. Miss you, love you! 3_

Mira's eyes welled up with tears again as she read his message. She was so happy everything was okay and that she was able to hear from him, she almost forgot to reply to his message. When she did, it began and ended with a slew of happy and lovey emojis.

 _3 3 3! im so happy i get to hear from you! i miss you youd better come home soon! Be safe! Love you! 3 3 3 3_

As soon as she sent it, she allowed herself to cry some more. A combination of happy and sad tears fell from her face as she was without her first long-term boyfriend for the first time, and she had no idea when she would see him next.

 _Don't sit around all sad, baby. I'll be home soon so make sure you hang out with your friends and stuff. I wanna hear some weird and wild stories when I come home. ;)_

 _Ill try, but you know im going to worry about you until youre home safe_

 _I know love, I gotta get going but I love you! I'll talk to you again soon._

 _Okay! Be safe! I love you so much! 3 3 3_

When he didn't reply, Mira knew that he really had stepped away from whatever he was using to talk to her. She hadn't a single clue what the Triceratons could be doing up there or how they intended to respond to the threats. She wondered if they would simply go with a Big Stick policy, or if there would be actual fighting involved. She sighed and laid back in bed. Then, her alarm went off.

With a coffee in hand Mira walked up a steep sidewalk with four dogs in tow. She was thankful for her own smarts that she had downed a quick double shot espresso before going about her day with the extra boost. Mira was also thankful that out of all the dogs she could have started the day with, it was a pretty chill group.

Though she was able to distract herself with cute and beautiful dogs all day, her mind always wandered back to Baxium. What was he doing? Was he okay? Was he getting enough food? Was he thinking of her? Sometimes she'd glance up at the sky, knowing she'd never see it, but hoping she might catch a glimpse of Homeworld.

From 10AM to 2PM Mira ran around the borough of Manhattan walking dogs for people with too much money on their hands. She had almost no complaints either, since she was able to pay all of her bills off and still have money left over for herself. The one thing she would complain about, though, was the commuting. She hated how packed the subway was, even if she missed both the AM and PM rush hours, there were always people on the trains with rarely any space for her to think.

She stared out the window and let her mind wander as she tried to avoid being near anyone. The train she was on was the same line she took home with Raphael, who didn't leave her side until she asked him to. She wondered why he felt so compassionate that day, as it was a side of him she very rarely saw.

—

" _You're my friend, Mira. And so are Traximus and Baxium. I want you to know I'm here for you as long as you want me around."_

" _Why are you being so nice to me?"_

" _I've always been like this," he said, though it seemed like he didn't quite believe it either._

" _Says the guy who literally called me names from 2nd to 5th grade before you moved away," she replied with a roll of her eyes, still trying to hide the final tears that refused to stay inside._

 _Raph was quiet for a moment. "It was a hard time for us then, but that aint an excuse." He shrugged as he let go of her shoulder and pulled away from her. "I don't wanna be that jerk anymore. I'm NOT that jerk anymore."_

 _Surprised, Mira stared at him, taking in his sincere words and expression. She had't expected something so close to a confession and apology as he was giving her. "Raph, it's okay. You weren't even that much of a jerk you know? ...Except for the time you stole my favorite pack of stickers and gave it to Mikey." She gave him a smile and he softened up._

" _Hey, you had that comin after putting that bug on my head," he retorted with a grin._

—

Mira's stop came sooner than expected and she stepped off the train to walk home. She couldn't shake the confusion she had about Raphael. He was kinder than he had ever been to her before, and she wanted to appreciate it but remained suspicious of his motives. Was it possible he knew more about what was going on than she did? After all, Traximus was a very high ranking officer who would have probably known more than Baxium would even know right now.

She stopped at a crosswalk and shook her head to clear the loud thoughts. When she looked up, she realized she was walking toward Baxium's apartment instead of her own. She sighed, took a moment, and turned back around. She refused to cry alone in public like her eyes wanted her to, and she kept her head up as she strolled home.

Ashley was laying on the futon watching videos on her phone when Mira arrived home.

"Hey, how was your day?" she asked as she stood up and headed over to hug her friend.

Mira accepted the hug with a grunt and returned the affection halfheartedly. Beside her, their cat was pawing at her leg and meowing.

"That good huh?" Ashley asked. As she stepped away and let Mira get settled in she continued. "I'm trying to do laundry, and I can also make us dinner if you wanted?"

"I'm not all that hungry."

"Not at all?"

Mira shook her head and placed her shoes on the bench before removing her socks. "I'm just gonna go lay in bed until I pass out."

"You're not gonna sleep tonight if you do that," Ashley said.

"I'm not gonna sleep tonight anyway, I might as well sleep while I can."

"Okay..." Ashley replied as she watched her friend disappear into her room. Ashley looked back at the kitchen before returning to the futon to watch a couple more videos.

Mira plopped onto her bed and buried her face in the mattress. She felt overwhelmed from all the feelings she was experiencing lately and she just wanted them to stop.

She turned her head to face her dresser and her eyes instantly fell onto the picture she put up of her and Baxium on one of their dates. She smiled, felt tears welling up again, and buried her face back into the mattress.

'Stupid feelings, go away,' she groaned to herself. Once she took control over her tears, she looked back at the picture and remained void of expression. He'd be home. He can message you, and there's no news stories about anything going on. He's going to be fine.

Through her attempts at reasoning away the sad emotions, Mira was able to find some kind of peace so she could think about what was going on without feeling emotional. She missed Baxium, but he'd be home soon. She just had to be as sure of that as Baxium was.

* * *

Am I actually foreshadowing or is it just one big fake out? Who knows? :-)


	28. Catching Up

This story is centered on the main ship, however I love thinking about everyone else! Please enjoy this side-chapter.

* * *

New York City is not a popular place to go for seeing leaves change color. A few trees in the parks would change, but it was never the same as seeing a grand forest changing. The only signs that Autumn was coming were the dropping temperatures and shorter days.

Baxium had been away from Mira for almost a month now, and she still wasn't completely used to it. She would hear from him every now and then and, though he couldn't say anything about what was happening, they loved being able to catch up with one another. Mira was finally feeling like leaving the apartment with friends, though it was only to go to the closest bars to drink. At least she was getting out.

Mikey and Ashley were closer than ever, and the only thing stopping them from staying at each others' places each night was Ashley's need to be sure her friend was okay. Ashley would go out with Mira most nights, leaving Mikey to his own devices. However, his alone time suited him just fine as he started picking up a new hobby- making music.

Raph was glad his brother had picked up a hobby that wasn't obnoxious (if he wore headphones) and kept him preoccupied. Things with Joi were tugging along, though it seemed a little strained on both ends.

When the Triceratons left, Raph was able to catch the end of the Judo competition Joi had invited him to. She introduced him to her ex, Jeff, who had ended up winning. Joi explained to Raph later that he had actually apologized to her before the match, and that he seemed like a whole new guy. Jeff didn't seem intimidated by Raph in the slightest, which took some concern off of him, but Joi seemed a little too happy to be talking to a guy who had broken her heart. While Raph was right there.

They went out afterwards, but things didn't seem to take off. As Raph sat at a bar on a late August night, he expected to spend his time alone. However, with Ashley and Mikey having a night for themselves, it seemed like only a matter of time before Mira found her way over to him.

"Hey nerd, drinking alone?" she asked as she caught the bartender's attention.

Raph looked at her, noticed no one else was around, and tilted his head. "Projecting?"

"No, _I'm_ drinking with you, idiot."

Raph shook his head as he returned to his drink. "Sounds like you've _been_ drinkin alone already."

"Hey," she started, poking his shoulder aggressively. "You have no proof."

Her drink was placed in front of her, and Raph offered his glass for a silent 'cheers.' They sat next to one another, drinking up their blues, mostly quiet in between the small talk. Mira missed Baxium, Raph was having lady trouble, they both just wanted to drink to forget about everything.

"Where's Casey?" Mira asked. "Doesn't he usually come out with you?"

Raph shook his head. "Not lately. He's helping April get everything ready for their baby, plus they just moved their business to-"

"THEY'RE HAVING A BABY?" Mira asked, her excitement not hidden at all from Raph or the rest of the bar patrons. "How could you not tell me!? Oh my god is it a boy or a girl? Do they have a name yet? When is she due?!"

"Calm down, will ya?" he said as he turned to face her. "We just found out a month or two ago, but Casey's so excited he's doin all sorts of projects. He's making all the stuff they need from scratch, like the crib and changing table. Plus, he knows how April hates it when he stays out late. If he does come out with me it's just for a beer or two, then he goes home. But I've never seen that goof more happy or determined in my life."

"Aw," Mira coo'd, thinking about that giant goof fussing over April and their baby…

"Casey, I'm not even that far along yet," April said as she watched him pack up her hospital bag. "I won't need that for 7 more months!"

Continuing to pack up everything they could possibly need, Casey replied, "I know babe, but it doesn't hurt to be ready! What if I forget to do it later? Now we have it no matter what!"

April couldn't help but laugh a little as she approached her husband. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, making him pause what he was doing. "You're gonna be a great father," she said with a smile.

Those words nearly choked him up and he stopped packing to hug her and return the kiss. "And I don't think anyone doubts you're gonna be the best mom in the world!"

They embraced in their living room for a long time, all of their emotions being shared and released with their contact. When they finally pulled away from each other, April walked to get her jacket. "I'm going to meet Donnie at the office, okay? We have some things we need to discuss going forward before we present them at the meeting on Tuesday."

"Do you want me to take you?" he asked, clearly worried for his growing family.

"It's just down the street, Casey," she assured him with a smile. "I think I can drive that far on my own. You keep getting that bag ready."

Recalling exactly what he was doing before she entered the room, Casey was right back to it. "Okay, but let me know as soon as you're there and when you're comin home."

"Of course," she said before walking out the door.

Donnie was already at the office, organizing the blueprints he had designed over the weekend. Most of the blueprints were for new gadgets and aircrafts, but some were for floor designs for their company. Though things were pretty organized from the get-go, their business was now growing and they needed a way to further organize and manage all of the new hires and management.

Don heard the front doors click open, then closed, and assumed April had arrived. He left his office to greet her, but found one of their new engineers approaching him, instead. They were rather short, but very gifted. The pale-skinned dark-blue haired Stargram engineer had instantly gathered Don and April's attention for their designs and ingenuity.

"Oh, Donatello! I'm sorry, but could you help me? I left my laptop here. Remembered my phone this time," they said as they flashed their mobile device. "But I guess I always have to forget something."

Don fished out his keys from his lab pocket and started toward the stairs. "You're just on the second floor right?"

"Right!"

"Shouldn't be any trouble, Nish."

"Oh, you remembered?" they asked as they followed him up the stairs. "I know it can be difficult when it changes, but-"

"It's no trouble, once I see the name tag you chose for the day. Though, pardon my asking, but would it be easier to choose a name that's a little more neutral? That way it doesn't have to change every day."

"I've thought about it, but Nish and Nisha just both fit me so well. Which is why I don't mind if people only call me by one name, but I appreciate it when they acknowledge the differences." They pulled some of their hair behind their pointed ear and waited for Donnie to unlock the second floor.

"Just let me know when you leave, okay?" Don asked, giving Nish a smile. They returned it with a nod and started off to find their laptop, office keys in hand.

Don returned to his office to find April looking through the organized blueprints he had left on his desk. "April," he greeted warmly. "Nish is finding their laptop upstairs."

"I figured they forgot something," she said with a smile. "I saw them when I was pulling up. These blueprints are really something, Donatello. I can't wait to see what you do with them."

"Thanks," he said, used to her praise, but still soaking it up whenever he could. "But we should really start talking about how fast the company is growing. O'Neil Tech is going to be a really big name this time next year."

"Yeah," April agreed with a sigh. "I never thought it would take off _this_ quickly, but…" she looked at him with a smile. "I guess we really make a great team, huh?"

They shared a smile and got settled in, locking up once Nish had left, and continuing to talk about their growth over coffee (one decaf, one _very_ caf).

As Donnie and April talked into the night, Leo sat with Splinter in their mostly empty home, enjoying an evening cup of tea.

"It seems like only yesterday you four were here," he began with a fond smile. "Filling our home with your laughter and your antics."

Leo nodded, never having gotten used to the quiet with his two loudest brothers gone. Donnie would still return to the lair once he finished at O'Neil Tech, but the only noise he'd bring were of his prototypes. Even he would rarely spend time with them when he was home, his work was the only thing on his mind.

"It's gotten very quiet, lately." Leo added as he drank from his cup.

"I suppose it's that time, though. My sons are so grown up now, and they're living on their own." Though his smile had happiness, Leo could sense the sadness underneath. "It makes this old man very proud to see you boys like this. And I am grateful that you have spent your time here with me, Leonardo."

Leo perked up at the mention of his name and gave a slow nod. "Of course, father. I couldn't leave you by yourself here."

Leo's words, as thoughtful as could be, left his father with a furrowed brow rather than a smile.

"Leonardo," Splinter interrupted, sounding more inquisitive than demanding. "What do you wish to do in this life?"

His eldest son took pause as he thought about his question. "What do you mean?"

"Your brothers have become more and more independent, in their own ways. Raphael and Michelangelo are living on their own and developing lives independent from us. Donatello has started a thriving business with Mrs. O'Neil. And you are still here with me, my son."

Splinter allowed Leo to think on his words for a moment before continuing. "Do not get me wrong, I am happy you have decided to stay here for so long, but I worry that you are missing out on life because you think you need to care for me."

Leo took Splinter's words harshly at first, but allowed them to soak in as he thought more about it.

Splinter stood and nodded at him. "I will give you time to reflect on my question. You think so much for your family, Leonardo, but you forget to think of yourself."

Leo sat in quiet contemplation, running the question over and over again in his mind. What _did_ he want to do? Of course he was currently working to get by since his brothers had all gone, but was it what he wanted? To work and return to the lair to spend time with his father? He loved his family so dearly, but when he thought about his own life he realized he hadn't been doing much for himself.

Leo decided he would meditate on the matter and put away the tea. Hopefully something would come of it.

As the evening went on, April and Donnie parted ways to return home after locking up the offices. Donnie returned to a quiet lair and decided to just get some sleep for once. He and April had made good progress in determining the direction of their company, and he was set to rest for a busy week.

April returned to a fully packed hospital bag, and a tired Casey deciding to finish his woodworking project later. She had become accustomed to resting her hand on her lower belly, noticing it growing every week or so. The life she and her husband were nurturing filled her with so much happiness that it radiated off of her, and Casey greeted her warmly with a tight embrace and a loving kiss. Their bigger apartment seemed so empty for the moment, but as they filled it with items for their expected addition it felt more and more like home.

Ashley and Mikey were getting cozy in his room, listening to some of his latest creations. Ashley supported him completely in his latest hobby and they both hoped for him to build something solid as he seemed so gifted with music. They explored creative ideas together, and didn't seem like they would be going to bed too soon- as Raphael noticed when he stumbled into the apartment.

He had walked back home with Mira as the night grew older, realizing they both had work the next day and may have overdone it a little bit. A part of him wondered if Mira would want any company since she was clearly alone in her apartment, but another part assured him it would be weird to show up at her door after they had just walked home together.

He did his best to ignore the couple in the room next to his own and took his clothes off as he stumbled to his bed. He fell ontop of the messy bed with his phone in hand and sighed.

Mira quickly realized she was alone with the cat after she closed the front door behind her. She was able to drunkenly shake off the heavy feeling of loneliness looming around the apartment as she removed her shoes and got comfortable.

Cozied up in bed, she wasted no time in opening apps on her phone to distract her until the alcohol in her system put her to sleep.

A vibration on her phone got her heart beating fast, hoping it was Baxium who was messaging her. Disappointment soon followed when she realized it was a message from Raph instead. Still, it was nice not to be totally alone with her thoughts.

 _Come get your ashley or I wont be able t sleep_

Smiling at the drunk message, she typed one up of her own.

 _Nope shes all yours_

 _And mikeys_

 _Shed probly be into that_

Each individual message came with its own notification for Raph and he had to take a moment to process her joke. As he did, he heard laughter from Mikey's room and worried something very loud was about to start happening.

 _O man i dont think they know im home_

 _this is gon be uncomftrble_

Mira couldn't help the laugh that escaped her as she pieced together what he was talking about.

 _LOL_

 _thats rough buddy good luck tho_

She opened her apps again and saw a notification at the top of her screen.

 _thanks for the help bomehead_

Mechanically, she opened her messages and sent a quick one to Mikey and Ashley.

 _raphs home but hes too drunk and stupid to tell you_

Figuring they'd get the message, she continued to mess on her phone until the light started to hurt her head. As she lay in the darkness hoping to find some sleep that night, Raph managed to pass out completely and missed out on all the things even Mira could hear at times.

They didn't see her message until the next morning.

* * *

Please let me know what you think! Any major Leo fans out there have any idea what he might want to do?


	29. Triceratons and Genrochs

FYI, in case you forgot, Genrochs are the ones threatening war with Homeworld. Hope this chapter isn't too intense...!

* * *

Homeworld was quite a place to be as a Triceraton soldier. With the new government running things, life was much different than Baxium recalled as a young child. His family was better off than most others, so he lived with them on the main land and got to experience the best foods and entertainment. He was even present at the battle where his turtle friends completely turned Homeworld upside down.

The battle arena was no longer a place of death, which disappointed some of the population, but pleased many more- particularly the prisoners themselves. As Baxium grew into the changes that emerged, he grew fonder of Traximus, who refused to be the new Prime Leader and instead helped create a form of government that was better suited to all Triceratons. That was part of the reason he was willing to join their army.

Baxium joined a few of the buddies he had made in his section on a trip outside of the base into the city. It was a great chance to breathe the fresh air again, not needing any kind of breathing apparatus as he had grown accustomed to using on Earth. As it was at the moment, no dire action was needed from the army yet, but they weren't allowed to be off base for longer than an hour. Lucky for his buddies, who grew up off the main land, Baxi knew of great spots to eat and could get them back within the time limit.

As they ventured out, curious of shops and making lists of places they wanted to go when they had more chances to go off-base, Baxium kept his hand in his pocket and wished desperately that he could use his phone off-base. It'd be the perfect time to talk to Mira, but those conversations had to be monitored during times of threat from off-worlders.

As Baxium left the base, Traximus was entering a meeting with officials about their next plan of action.

"…After all, the Genroch King loved Zanramon. I'm sure it is by his orders that we surrender to their demands."

Traximus piped up from his seat further back. "Has anyone attempted to speak with the Ganrochs? They are an aggressive kind, as we know, but they are not incapable of communication."

"Well that was clear by their threat of declaring war on us!" Zanzobar, a member of the order, piped up.

Another member lowered his hands as a sign for them to quiet down. "We have not yet attempted to converse with them. We were actually waiting for you, Traximus."

His eyes grew wide for a second as the mention of his name was unexpected. "Am I to understand that you wish for _me_ to be the diplomat in this situation? Is this not what the Order's duty is?"

"The Order does what is best for the entirety of Triceraton life. It would not only be foolish, but show we continue to lack honor if we did not perform our best attempt at deescalating this situation," Lazarus continued.

Zanzobar piped up once more. "But we cannot allow ourselves to be open or unprepared for what they may do. If they think we have gotten weaker since restoring The Order they will have quite the surprise on their hands."

"Yes, well, I'm sure demanding that most of our New York troops to return to Homeworld wasn't at all obvious," a third member chimed in.

Lazarus silenced the commotion that began at the table once more. "Traximus," he began. "You led the rebellion that restored The Order to what it once was. The universe, however, is not as it once was and we must adapt to these changes. You are the most open-minded and honorable member of The Order and would be best suited for such a diplomatic mission."

Traximus sighed at Lazarus' words. He was indeed a member of The Order, but had become the Ambassador to Earth once the planet reached out for other-worldly alliances. The trip to Homeworld was not one he could make often, so he had given up his position as a member in his mind. It seemed the rest of the planet did not get the memo.

"You know what the Triceratons want, Traximus. We enjoy our battles and violence, but not when others may get hurt. We have already lost our planet due to the hard-headed nature of our ancestors. I do not wish to threaten what is left."

Traximus nodded solemnly as Lazarus' words struck his very soul. Others would place him at the top of the list of Triceratons who care the most for their home and their brothers and sisters, the one with the most honor. He would not let them down.

Baxium returned with his friends, full from a classic meal and ready to rest off the calories. Lights out would be soon, so Baxium hurried to the communications chamber so he could contact Mira and his family. Sending messages was more efficient than calling, and he didn't need to have someone so close to him for monitoring. Each message he would send was checked for any confidential information before it was sent or received.

Mira and his parents were all heading to bed when he messaged them. It was late on Earth apparently and he hadn't quite realized how late until his father told him. Mira was happy that he was able to talk to her while his parents had expected a message sooner. His parents had heard from Minjeck _much_ earlier. When it was about time for lights out he said his 'goodbye's and 'I love you's and returned to his room.

It seemed like forever in the month that passed.

Baxium quickly learned that the Genrochs were not an easy bunch to reason with, and though Traximus had managed to work down to the root of their problems, neither side could come to an agreement. Though Baxium would have loved to share this information with his loved ones on Earth, he would be facing severe dishonorable discharge for sharing confidential information. Basically, if the news wasn't talking about it, neither could he.

Traximus had been losing sleep trying to rationalize with an irrational diplomatic group, and The Order was at their wits end.

"If they can't come to terms with our stances, then we'll have no choice but to defend ourselves against their attacks. We should arm our troops and be prepared to take action!" Zanzobar declared.

"I don't know what else to say to get through to them," Traximus added. "We've listened to their demands and agreed to allow certain trade items past our ports, but they're practically demanding we reinstate Zanramon and refusing to acknowledge us as the 'real' government!"

Lazarus sighed as other members concurred. "It seems as though we are losing this diplomatic approach. I fear Zanzobar may be right. We should place our troops in defensive positions and prepare for an offensive strike in an attempt to maintain some face here. The world is watching, after all. Well, _worlds_."

"I'll give the order-" Zanzobar said as he started to stand.

"Now wait, don't seem so enthusiastic about this," a usually quiet member said. "We need to be cautious of everything we do. The Genrochs are in a very sensitive place. If we're too obvious about moving our forces then they may take a full strike at us in response."

"I still think we should try to find common ground to reason with them," another member added.

Lazarus spoke again. "I agree that we should not give up our diplomatic pursuit, but they are already aware of the troops we have flown in. Have them take shifts in standby mode until we need them all to assemble. I hope it will not come to that, but it will be the official order for now. Is this approach acceptable to all?"

A chorus of agreement sounded throughout and Zanzobar left to give the order and organize shifts with the others. He had a very small role to play in the diplomat department, so he did not fear what he would miss while he was away.

"We need to consider other ways to approach this problem," Lazarus started. "The floor is open to all."

The meeting eventually adjourned around the same time Baxium was given his shift. There were always soldiers around the base to take action in case an unexpected strike occurred, but this time they were more strict about the shifts existing with specific numbers of troops in their places. Everyone knew this meant things were getting more serious, and that they wouldn't be home for a while longer.

Before his shift started, Baxi returned to the communications room to let his loved ones know he wouldn't be home as soon as he thought, but not to worry. He was thinking of them every day and hoped to see them for the upcoming holidays. Of course, he couldn't answer the questions that came through about what was going on. He simply told them to await any developments on the news and that he would take care of himself.

His parents understood, but Mira was definitely upset. She didn't show it too much, but Baxium could tell.

 _As soon as I'm home, I promise you I'll take you out on full day adventures for a whole week. Just us._

He attached emojis that he hoped made her smile, and awaited her response. He knew whoever was reading their messages probably saw similar ones, but wondered if they knew Mira was a human. He smiled at her goodbye response and left the room to enter his shift.

Baxium was outside the base, armed and prepared to go into battle. They stood far from the base itself in case of a direct attack, but remained within the property to defend it from any possible foot-soldiers. Others were stationed within the city itself, while others like Minjeck stood next to their aircraft, ready to be deployed at the soonest notice.

The next few hours would potentially determine their fate.

* * *

That wasn't so bad right? Hmm...


End file.
